Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) defended the Department of Government Efficiency investigation into federal waste, particularly within the Department of Defense, while Democrat colleagues have gone on the offensive against cuts.

DOGE is examining NASA along with the Education, Homeland Security, and Treasury departments, but Sanders suggested it move on the Defense Department with one reason being that the Pentagon has failed six consecutive audits. 

“Look, if there is waste and fraud in the Defense Department, which is the largest single budget item that we fund, … we should go after waste, fraud and abuse over every agency of government. There’s no argument about that. But let us be very clear, what Republicans are trying to do right now is to make massive cuts in Medicaid. Over $800 billion. Cuts in nutrition programs which feed hungry children.”

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) has defended his budget proposal as one that does not outline any cuts to Medicaid. However, rumors abound that Trump senior advisor Elon Musk will target the system soon.

“Why are they doing that? Because they want to be able to use those savings to provide over $1 trillion in tax breaks for the richest 1%, for the Elon Musks and the Zuckerbergs and the Bezoses of the world,” Sanders went on. “In my view you don’t take food away from children, health care away from struggling people to give tax breaks to billionaires. So do we have waste and fraud in every agency of government? Yes, we do.”

AMY KLOBUCHAR SAYS ‘SHOCK AND AWE’ CUTS BY DOGE WON’T BE ‘EFFECTIVE’

Democratic lawmakers have protested Musk’s involvement in examining federal spending and called him an “unelected bureaucratic oligarch,” which Sanders repeated.

DOGE has gone on to cancel government contracts, leases, and grants. According to the department, this has already saved $55 billion. The department plans to disband on July 4, 2026.