By: Qamar Bashir
In a recent speech at Mar-a-Lago, President Trump condemned what he described as rampant corruption within the U.S. government, stating, “We have a very corrupt country, very corrupt country.” He expressed frustration over the mismanagement of taxpayer funds and the extensive misuse of federal resources, particularly within the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Trump while admiring DOGE, led by Elon Musk, which uncovered extensive irregularities in SSA records said that SSA was paying 20 million individuals over the age of 100, including one astonishing record of a 360-year-old recipient. These findings exposed the systematic mismanagement of funds intended for retirees and low-income families. Further investigation revealed that the SSA was maintaining records for 4.7 million individuals between the ages of 100-109, 3.4 million between 120-129, 3.9 million between 130-139, 1.3 million between 150-159, and even 879 recipients between 200-209 years old.
Trump said that DOGE identified over $55 billion in savings by canceling 1,127 wasteful contracts and plans to lay off 2.5 million unnecessary government workers, saving an estimated $21 billion in wages. Additionally, DOGE exposed the mismanagement of government-issued credit cards, revealing $40 billion in expenditures, with transactions at casinos, luxury hotels, and entertainment venues. The General Services Administration, which oversees these expenses, has faced mounting criticism for lax oversight.
Schools spent nearly $200 billion in COVID relief funds with little to no oversight, funding expenses like a $393,000 payout to a Major League Baseball stadium, $86,000 in Caesars Palace hotel rooms, $60,000 for swimming pool passes, and even an ice cream truck. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy used COVID funds to purchase SUVs for his administration, later justifying the expense dismissively.
DOGE uncovered billions of dollars funneled into obscure international projects with no direct benefit to U.S. taxpayers. Among the most questionable expenditures were $520 million for an environmental consultant focused on ESG investments in Africa, $25 million for biodiversity conservation in Colombia, $40 million for social and economic inclusion of sedentary migrants, and $42 million to Johns Hopkins University for social behavior change research in Uganda. Purdue University received $70 million for development research, while $10 million was allocated for circumcisions in Mozambique, and $9.7 million went toward Cambodian youth entrepreneurship training.
Additional allocations included $2.3 million to strengthen independent voices in Cambodia, $32 million to a liberal Prague-based civil society group, and $14 million to improve procurement in Serbia. More concerning was the $486 million directed to support elections globally, including $21 million for voter turnout in India. Further funds included $20 million for fiscal federalism in Nepal, $19 million for biodiversity conservation in Nepal, $1.5 million for voter confidence in Liberia, $14 million for social cohesion in Mali, $2.5 million for promoting democracy in South Africa, $47 million for improving learning outcomes in Asia, and $2 million for recycling initiatives in Kosovo. DOGE efforts prompted the IRS to cancel a $1.9 billion contract under scrutiny for inefficiency and waste.
DOGE also exposed corruption in the Pentagon, where nearly $6.5 trillion in transactions remain unaccounted for, raising concerns about financial transparency and military spending accountability. The FBI was found to have misused surveillance funds and spent millions on secretive programs lacking congressional oversight. USAID was flagged for directing billions in foreign aid to questionable organizations with minimal tracking, fueling suspicions of fraud and misuse. Additionally, the CIA was reported to have allocated undisclosed sums to covert operations with little justification, leading to speculation about the true nature of these expenditures.
The federal government reported $149 billion in improper payments in FY 2024, accounting for 3.7% of all federal spending. These payments included fraud, overpayments, and allocations to ineligible recipients. While DOGE identified $55 billion in potential recoveries, critics have challenged the accuracy of attributing all improper payments to fraud.
President Trump is not only unpredictable but also has the courage to acknowledge the shortcomings within the U.S. system. He has rightly recognized that the most powerful nation in the world is grappling with deep-rooted issues that demand urgent reform to restore its upward trajectory. Defying the deep state and the judiciary, he remains fearless in the face of bad publicity and unafraid to challenge allies who have long exploited America’s generosity. He has made it clear that the United States will no longer funnel hard-earned taxpayer dollars into the coffers of wealthy allies at the expense of its own citizens.
Taking on the deep state head-on, Trump is striving to liberate the country and its people from the grip of unelected bureaucrats, the judiciary, corporate elites, and compromised lawmakers. His mission is to return power to the people, breaking the chains of systemic corruption and inefficiency.
During his previous presidency, he demonstrated a sharp understanding of the fundamental flaws within the governance system. Realizing that true reform requires expertise beyond traditional government circles, he has brought in accomplished professionals from outside the bureaucratic establishment—visionaries like Elon Musk—who are immensely successful, financially secure, and devoid of any urge to exploit public funds. These individuals possess the skill and insight to uncover instances of corruption, waste, and misallocated resources—exposing unnecessary programs, consultancy schemes, and advocacy initiatives designed merely to siphon money under the guise of progress.
With these revelations, President Trump himself is sending shockwaves across the country. Every department is now forced to reevaluate its inefficiencies, wastefulness, and systemic loopholes—scrambling to put its house in order. For the first time in history, a U.S. President has dared to appoint an external team to assess government efficiency and productivity, an unprecedented move that has shaken the foundations of the establishment.
Trump’s audacity and boldness have led him to label the U.S. as one of the most corrupt countries, a statement no other leader has dared to make. He is unafraid of the deep state—those who, despite being mere public servants, have misused their authority for personal gain rather than serving the people. By confronting these entrenched powers, Trump has initiated a movement that, if successful, will serve as a blueprint for other patriotic leaders around the world to reclaim power from the clutches of the deep state and return it to the people.
By: Qamar Bashir
Press Secretary to the President (Rtd)
Former Press Minister at Embassy of Pakistan to France
Former MD, SRBC
Macomb, Detroit, Michigan
