President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) exposed serious federal weaknesses but achieved far less than it claimed—about $20–$30 billion in verifiable savings versus more than $200 billion reported. The authors propose a pragmatic "DOGE 2.0" agenda with five priorities: OMB-led federalism reform, reconciliation 2.0 to target systemic fraud, real-time upgrades to USAspending.gov, a statutory fiscal commission, and pursuing a limited Article V convention for a fiscal amendment. They warn that Social Security and Medicare require honest reform to avoid severe economic and security consequences.
Trump Needs a Fiscal Reset: A Practical Roadmap for a 'DOGE 2.0'
When President Trump won a second term, he quickly announced the creation of a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to tackle fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement across the federal government. He called it "potentially, 'The Manhattan Project' of our time," and set a high bar: a public, dramatic restructuring of how Washington works by July 4, 2026.
What DOGE Delivered—and Where It Fell Short
DOGE exposed important weaknesses in internal controls and information systems across federal agencies, but its financial claims outpaced verifiable results. Our assessment: DOGE produced roughly $20–$30 billion in genuine, attributable savings — a small fraction of the more than $200 billion in cuts it reported. By contrast, targeted, bipartisan efforts such as the late Sen. Tom Coburn's partnership with the Government Accountability Office to eliminate duplication and overlap have yielded far larger, documented gains—about $725 billion, by GAO’s most recent estimate.
Fortunately, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been urging a different approach: "move deliberately and fix things" rather than move fast and break things. That pragmatic guidance echoes the productive reform model Coburn exemplified.
Five Priorities for a Credible DOGE 2.0
- Launch a 21st Century Federalism Transformation Initiative — Direct the White House Office of Management and Budget to lead a comprehensive reorganization plan that pares back a sprawling administrative state and refocuses federal activity on Constitutionally enumerated functions. Working with governors and independent transformation experts, the administration should present a clear reorganization blueprint to Congress and force a vote.
- Back "Reconciliation 2.0" to Fight Systemic Fraud — Encourage reform-minded lawmakers to adopt House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington’s reconciliation 2.0 framework. Reconciliation rules can be a vehicle to address systemic fraud and inefficiency in entitlement and large federal programs, unlocking substantial savings—especially in health care.
- Upgrade USAspending.gov for Real-Time Transparency — Modernize the federal spending transparency portal (created in 2006 with bipartisan support) to require near–real-time reporting and better tracking of subawards and subcontracting. Strong federal leadership would incentivize states to follow suit and would make it harder for fraud to flourish.
- Create a Statutory Fiscal Commission — Pass the Fiscal Commission Act to convene a bipartisan, expert panel empowered to propose concrete, enforceable recommendations to address deficits and long-term debt. Congress has repeatedly failed to tackle structural drivers of deficits; a statutory commission can provide a coherent plan for sustainable entitlement reform.
- Pursue a Limited Article V Convention for a Fiscal Amendment — Support efforts to compel Congress to call a narrowly focused convention to propose a fiscal responsibility amendment if lawmakers will not act. Data are stark: federal debt rose from roughly $1 trillion in 1979 to more than $38 trillion today, the dollar has lost more than 80% of its purchasing power over decades, and the federal debt-to-GDP ratio climbed from about 33% to roughly 125%.
Entitlements: The Hard Truth
Social Security and Medicare are the primary long-term drivers of federal deficits and debt. If these programs are not meaningfully reformed, the public should understand the trade-offs: significant adjustments to benefits, revenues, or both will be necessary to preserve solvency. Avoiding honest public conversation only raises the economic and national security risks we face over time.
Conclusion
When presidents choose signature issues, those priorities shape their legacy. DOGE’s initial run demonstrated both potential and pitfalls. By pivoting to a disciplined, transparent DOGE 2.0 that emphasizes deliberate reform, technological transparency, statutory accountability and forthright public messaging about entitlement reform, the administration could produce real savings, strengthen government performance, and leave a durable legacy.
Authors: David Walker served as Comptroller General of the United States under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. John Hart is CEO of OpenTheBooks and co-author (with U.S. Senator Tom Coburn) of The Debt Bomb.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
Help us improve.
