Trump Expands Doge's Spending Review Powers with Executive Order

New Executive Order Mandates Spending Justification Across Federal Agencies

A recent executive order issued by the Trump administration directs the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to establish a unified technological infrastructure throughout all federal agencies.

This system will be utilized to meticulously document all contract and grant awards. DOGE, an initiative benefiting from the guidance of Elon Musk, is tasked with reducing overall federal expenditures.

Increased Scrutiny of Contract and Grant Approvals

The executive order stipulates that personnel responsible for authorizing contract and grant payments must now provide a documented rationale for each approval.

Agency leaders will gain the ability to temporarily halt and thoroughly examine any payment lacking the required justification from the approving employee, as outlined in the order.

Centralized Tracking of Federal Travel Expenses

Furthermore, agency heads, with support from DOGE, are instructed to develop systems for the centralized recording of approvals related to federally funded travel.

This includes travel for conferences and other activities deemed “non-essential.” Employees will be required to submit written justifications for such travel expenses once these systems are operational.

Expansion of DOGE’s Oversight Authority

This action represents the latest broadening of DOGE’s considerable authority regarding the review of federal spending.

Earlier this month, DOGE requested federal employees to detail their accomplishments from the previous week, with potential termination as a consequence for non-compliance.

It has been reported that the collected data will be analyzed by an AI algorithm to assess the criticality of each employee’s work.

DOGE’s Origins and Concerns

DOGE was initially created through an executive order signed by President Trump on January 20th, effectively renaming the U.S. Digital Service.

The department also appointed a team of “special government employees” across various federal agencies.

Composed primarily of younger professionals from companies associated with Elon Musk and his network, DOGE has operated with limited oversight.

This lack of scrutiny raises concerns regarding adherence to established cybersecurity and privacy protocols.