'Not So Brilliant,' Says Mark Cuban As Nearly $7 Million In Taxpayer Money Flows To Elon Musk's Doge In Just 2 Weeks

Billionaire investor Mark Cuban recently had a lot to say about the Department of Government Efficiency and its recent initiatives. 

Cuban initially speculated that Elon Musk's team might have been pulling data from USAspending.gov—a public database tracking federal spending—then presenting it as if they had uncovered wasteful expenses themselves. At first, he found the move "brilliant," even comparing it to Donald Trump's tactics, saying, “Fooled me. Very Trump like too.” But his opinion quickly changed.

"Not so brilliant," Cuban wrote in a follow-up post on Bluesky, responding to criticism that DOGE had burned through nearly $7 million in taxpayer funds in just a week. A Roll Call article that Cuban shared reported that money was allocated for “Software Modernization Initiative.” 

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As a House Democratic aide explained to the outlet, the DOGE is getting money “to perform work on the agencies' behalf and using their money to pay for it.”

Where Did The Money Go?

DOGE was established under a Trump executive order, replacing the U.S. Digital Service and giving Musk authority over government-wide IT upgrades and spending reviews. But critics argue that it does much more—giving Musk access to sensitive government data in his quest to shut down federal programs.

According to data made public by the Office of Management and Budget, the funding—$6.75 million so far—came in two chunks:

• $750,000 on Jan. 27
• $6 million on Jan. 30

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A notable change in DOGE's funding structure is that it now has its own Treasury account, independent of the Information Technology Oversight and Reform budget.

A White House official claimed this was just a continuation of funds previously allocated to the U.S. Digital Service. However, the lack of transparency around how DOGE is using the money has raised concerns.

Meanwhile, top Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, are working on legislation to block Musk's access to federal data.

See Also: Elon Musk Told The U.N. If They Could Show A Plan For Ending World Hunger He'd Donate $6 Billion – ‘I Will Sell Tesla Stock Right Now And Do It'

Mark Cuban Calls for Transparency

In a third post, Cuban challenged DOGE directly: "If there is nothing to hide. Hide nothing." His statement reflects growing demands for clarity on Musk's role and DOGE's activities.

Adding to the controversy, reports suggest Musk has assembled a small team of young engineers, some unpaid, alongside experienced IT professionals and Trump allies like Katie Miller, the wife of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. 

As questions grow about DOGE’s transparency and spending, lawmakers and the public will be watching closely to see whether Musk’s government influence will face new restrictions or continue to reshape federal operations.

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