In an exclusive interview with Fox News’ Special Report, Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) head Elon Musk and his team pulled back the curtain on their mission to slash federal waste—revealing shocking examples of mismanagement, including a nearly $1 billion government survey that could have instead provided free homes for 4,000 homeless veterans.

Musk, alongside DOGE members Steve Davis, Joe Gebbia, Aram Moghaddassi, Brad Smith, Anthony Armstrong, Tom Krause, and Tyler Hassen, detailed their aggressive cost-cutting efforts, which have already saved taxpayers $130 billion — roughly $807.45 per taxpayer — since the department’s launch.

"The government is not efficient, and there's a lot of waste and fraud, Musk told host Bret Baier. "We want to reduce spending by 15%, which seems really quite achievable without affecting critical services."

The $1 billion Survey Scandal

When asked about the most astonishing discovery DOGE had uncovered, Musk pointed to a 10-question survey — something that could have been done for $10,000 using a platform like SurveyMonkey—for which the government paid nearly $1 billion.

"It was a simple online survey—'Do you like the national park?'—with no feedback loop. The results went nowhere," Musk said. "For that same amount, we could have housed 4,000 homeless veterans."

The revelation underscores what Musk calls "mind-blowing" waste. With the Department of Veterans Affairs estimating 33,000 homeless veterans in early 2024—and the average starter home costing $250,000 — the squandered funds represent a staggering missed opportunity.

DOGE’s Cost-Cutting Revolution

Beyond the survey scandal, the DOGE team highlighted other reforms:

- Eliminating duplicate programs and redundant agencies.

- Canceling wasteful contracts, including underused federal building leases and DEI initiatives.

- Auditing federal credit cards —discovering 4.6 million cards for just 2.3 million employees. "Clearly, there should not be more credit cards than people," Musk quipped.

Despite criticism from opponents who claim DOGE oversteps its authority, Musk defended the department’s approach: "We measure twice, if not thrice, and cut once. When we make mistakes, we correct them fast."

A "Revolution" in Government

Musk framed DOGE’s work as historic: "This might be the biggest revolution in government since the original revolution. America's going to be in much better shape."

While Republicans largely support the effort, Democratic critics remain skeptical, questioning DOGE’s sweeping authority. Yet Musk fired back: "When they attack us, they never point to specific cuts they disagree with."

With 18 months to fulfill President Trump’s mandate, DOGE’s mission is clear: root out waste, stop fraud, and ensure taxpayer dollars serve Americans—not bureaucrats.

"It’s going to be a fantastic future," Musk promised.