Trump Says He May Consider $5,000 'Refund' Checks For American Taxpayers From DOGE Savings

President Donald Trump says some Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) savings could be sent back to taxpayers and address the nation's $36 trillion debt.

At the Future Investment Initiative Institute conference Wednesday, Trump floated the idea of setting aside portions of whatever the Elon Musk-led DOGE would be able to save at the end of its tenure in mid-2026.

Trump loves the idea of using DOGE savings

Trump said a concept under consideration would be "where we give 20% of the DOGE savings to American citizens, and 20% goes to paying down debt because the numbers are incredible."

The president said there have been "hundreds of billions" uncovered by the DOGE that could be saved from the national budget.

He confirmed that his team was "thinking about giving back" the proposed portion for American taxpayers and debt.

When asked about his thoughts on the proposal for a "20% dividend" for tax-paying American households, Trump said, "I love it."

"A 20% dividend, so to speak, for the money that we're saving by going after the waste, fraud and abuse and all of the other things that are happening. I think it's a great idea," he explained, according to NBC News.

While Trump said the recommendation came from the Tesla CEO, the suggestion for a "DOGE Dividend" was actually floated first by Azoria CEO James Fishback.

The investment firm executive proposed that 20% of savings from DOGE be given back to tax-paying Americans, assuming that the unofficial government audit agency was able to reach its $2 trillion savings goal.

If the DOGE hits its $2 trillion target, some $400 billion will be allocated for 79 million taxpaying households, or $5,000 tax refund checks for each household, as per Fishback's proposed plan.

X divided on the concept

When Musk told Fishback on Wednesday that he will inform the president of the proposal, social media users on X had mixed reactions.

Some users believe it would be better if all of the money saved "is used to pay the deficit," as it can help "pay the debt that this country has."

One user thinks it is "a doable and effective move," and may even "be a death knell for the dem party."

The majority of X users who commented on the matter believe the best option was to use DOGE-recovered money to pay down the national debt.

One user said the massive national debt should be audited instead. "Why are we going to pay them for the debt that they hold as wealth? I have no interest in paying down illegitimate debt," the user argued.

It remains to be seen whether Trump will approve the plan or work with Congress to implement it.