Elon Musk’s DOGE: Cutting Costs or Cutting Corners?
Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, commonly referred to as DOGE, has been making waves in Washington, D.C., by slashing federal agency budgets, canceling contracts, and firing employees. While the group, which former President Trump once praised as a team of "super geniuses," has been actively touting its cost-cutting achievements online, there are growing concerns that its claims may be exaggerated. A recent controversy involving the sale of a historic property in Washington, D.C., has brought this issue into sharp focus, raising questions about the accuracy of DOGE’s self-proclaimed successes.
The Webster School Sale: A Case of Misattributed Credit
At the center of the controversy is the Webster School building, a historic property located in the Chinatown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The building, which has been vacant for decades, was recently sold at auction for $4 million. DOGE took to X (formerly Twitter) to claim credit for the sale, framing it as one of their key achievements in reducing government waste. However, records show that the sale was actually finalized in February 2025 under the Biden administration, with a company called Webster School LLC emerging as the successful bidder. This has led critics to accuse DOGE of overstating its role in the transaction and taking undeserved credit for a process that was already underway.
A Troubled History: The Webster School’s Journey to Sale
The Webster School, built in 1882, has a rich and complex history. It served as a school for White children during the segregation era, later transitioning to educating immigrant families after World War I, and eventually became a school for pregnant teens. Despite its historical significance, the building has been abandoned since the 1980s, falling into disrepair and becoming a symbol of the federal government’s underutilized properties in the nation’s capital. For years, local leaders and lawmakers, including D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, have pushed for the property’s sale or redevelopment, seeing it as an opportunity to generate tax revenue and revitalize the area.
Congressional Efforts and the Path to Sale
The sale of the Webster School was not a spontaneous achievement but the culmination of years of efforts by Congress and local officials. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat representing Washington, D.C., had long advocated for the property’s sale, emphasizing the need to repurpose unused federal land to benefit the District. In 2024, Congress passed legislation aimed at easing security restrictions that had complicated previous attempts to sell the property. This cleared the way for the General Services Administration (GSA) to put the building up for auction, with bidding commencing in November 2024. The auction concluded on December 16, 2024, with an undisclosed bidder securing the property for approximately $4.138 million.
DOGE’s Pattern of Overstatement
The Webster School sale is not the first time DOGE has been accused of inflating its achievements. CBS News previously reported on other instances where the group claimed credit for savings that were either exaggerated or entirely unrelated to their efforts. For example, DOGE once took credit for saving $8 billion on a federal contract, when in reality the contract was worth just $8 million, and $3.8 million of that had already been spent. These incidents have raised concerns about the transparency and accuracy of DOGE’s reporting, with critics questioning whether the group is more focused on generating positive headlines than on genuinely improving government efficiency.
Implications of DOGE’s Actions
The controversy surrounding the Webster School highlights a broader issue with DOGE’s approach to government reform. While the group’s mission to cut waste and improve efficiency is laudable, its tendency to overstate its achievements risks undermining public trust in its efforts. By taking credit for accomplishments that are not entirely its own, DOGE not only distorts the narrative of its success but also deflects attention from the genuine progress made by other government agencies and lawmakers. As DOGE continues its work, it will be important for the group to strike a balance between celebrating its legitimate achievements and maintaining transparency about the limits of its contributions. Only then can it hope to achieve its stated goal of making government more efficient and accountable to the public.
