Focus on the BIG picture.
Monday, Jul 13, 2026

0:00
0:00

Elon Musk Criticizes US Government Payment Systems, Asserts $100 Billion in Annual Fraud.

The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX expresses worries about the shortcomings in federal payment systems, advocating for reforms and better auditing practices.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, voiced serious concerns about the inefficiencies he sees in the U.S. government's payment systems, claiming potential fraud exceeding $100 billion each year.

Musk utilized X (formerly Twitter) to announce a collaboration between the Treasury Department and his own Department of Government Efficiency, which seeks to implement stricter reporting requirements for all government payouts.

He pointed out that among the new stipulations, all payments must include a payment categorization code, which is essential for effective financial audits.

Musk remarked that this code is frequently left out, creating difficulties in conducting proper audits.

He stressed the importance of requiring a brief justification for payments, indicating that many entries are submitted without any explanation.

He stated, "We are not yet applying ANY judgment to this rationale, but simply requiring that SOME attempt be made to explain the payment more than NOTHING!"

In his statements, Musk also pushed for enhancements to the DO-NOT-PAY list, a resource used to pinpoint entities engaged in fraudulent activities.

He advocated that this list be refreshed weekly, if not daily, to ensure that funds do not end up in the hands of fraudsters.

Musk pointed out that it currently takes a long time—up to a year—for an entity to be included on the DO-NOT-PAY list, signaling the need for a faster process to improve the integrity of federal payments.

Highlighting specific worries about entitlement payments, Musk claimed that more than $100 billion each year is allocated to individuals lacking a Social Security Number or a temporary identification, which he deemed "extremely suspicious."

Musk alleged that conversations with Treasury officials indicated that approximately half of this amount could clearly be attributed to fraud, equating to a potential loss of $50 billion annually.

He described the scenario as "utterly insane" and urged immediate measures to address what he sees as rampant fraud in the payment systems, asserting that taxpayer funds must be safeguarded.

The dialogue regarding government payment systems and oversight has taken place independently of his cryptocurrency endeavors, as Musk clarified that these changes are being carried out by long-serving government professionals rather than individuals associated with his businesses.

Through his social media account, Musk shared a chart titled "Federal Government: Waste, Fraud, Abuse," further emphasizing his worries about the perceived extent of fraud in government spending.

To date, the Treasury Department has not publicly addressed Musk's allegations or the reforms he proposed.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
A Million Dollars Above the Asking Price: Who Is Driving Silicon Valley's Housing Market Wild?
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa Opens Newly Elected Parliament to Advance Political Transition
United States Senator Lindsey Graham Dies at Seventy-One
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Replaces Prime Minister in Wider Government Reshuffle
China Conducts Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile Test into the Pacific Ocean
Global Markets Retreat as Middle East Conflict Drives Oil Prices Higher and Bond Yields Up
United States and Iran Exchange Direct Military Strikes as Fighting Escalates Around the Strait of Hormuz
World Cup Visitors Turn American Big-Box Stores Into Souvenir Stops
Netflix Weighs Always-On Channels, Bundles and Short-Form Video
Passenger Is Pulled Partly Outside Ryanair Jet After Window Fails Mid-Flight
Evaxion Reports Artificial Intelligence-Designed Cytomegalovirus Vaccine Breakthrough
Apollo Global Management Makes 7.7 Billion Dollar Takeover Bid for EasyJet
Apple Sues OpenAI Over Alleged Artificial Intelligence Trade Secret Theft
Typhoon Bavi Forces Two Million Evacuations Across Eastern China
United States Senator Lindsey Graham Dies at Age 71
United States Authorizes Domestic Production of Patriot Missiles in Ukraine
United States and Iran Exchange Direct Military Strikes After Tehran Declares Strait of Hormuz Closed
North Korea Condemns NATO Summit and Accuses Alliance of Expanding Confrontation Into Asia-Pacific
SpaceX Joins Nasdaq-100 Following Record Initial Public Offering
Apple Sues OpenAI in Trade Secret Dispute Over Artificial Intelligence Technology
European Union Drafts Financial Backstop to Shield Supply Chains From Potential Chinese Retaliation
Russia and Ukraine Intensify Long-Range Strikes as Fighting Expands Beyond the Front Line
NATO Summit in Ankara Approves Major Defense Spending and Long-Term Military Support for Ukraine
Iran Launches Ballistic Missile and Drone Attacks on United States Bases Across the Middle East
Cuba Suffers Third Nationwide Power Grid Collapse in Six Months
United States Congress Clears Advanced Jet Engine Sale for Turkey's Indigenous Fighter Program
Federal Reserve Minutes Reveal Sharp Divisions Over Inflation Outlook
Typhoon Bavi Strikes Eastern China After Mass Evacuations
Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Rises Above Four Thousand as Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
United States and Iran Exchange Escalating Threats as Ceasefire Efforts Falter
Russian Missile and Drone Barrage Causes Heavy Casualties and Widespread Damage Across Ukraine
Apple Sues OpenAI and Chooses Google Gemini for Siri Upgrade
SK Hynix Completes Record United States Initial Public Offering to Expand Artificial Intelligence Memory Production
China Halts Helium Exports as Supply Shortages Hit Semiconductor Industry
United States Federal Reserve Signals Interest Rates Will Remain Unchanged
Ukrainian Drone Strikes Cut Russian Fuel Production as Kremlin Threatens Wider Military Buffer Zone
China Warns Russia Against Using Tactical Nuclear Weapons in Ukraine
United States Declares Iran Ceasefire Over After Gulf Military Escalation
The AI Invoice Shock: Layoffs Didn't Save Managers Money — They Cost Them More
Concern: Sexually Transmitted Bacterium Among Men Develops Antibiotic Resistance
Following Massive Investor Demand: SK Hynix Raises 26.5 Billion Dollars on Nasdaq
Passenger Partially Pulled Out of Ryanair Jet After Cabin Window Fails Mid-Flight
After Four Years, and Under a Heavy Veil of Secrecy: King Charles Meets His Grandchildren, Harry and Meghan's Children
SK Hynix Completes Record Twenty-Six Point Five Billion Dollar Nasdaq Listing
Trump Administration Removes Remaining Democratic Leaders From Election Assistance Commission
Israel Says Troops Will Remain in Southern Lebanon Until Hezbollah Is Disarmed
United States Authorizes Ukraine to Produce Patriot Air Defense Missiles Domestically
Typhoon Bavi Forces Mass Evacuations and Shuts Down Much of Taiwan
China Bans Helium Exports, Raising New Risks for Global Semiconductor Supply Chains
United States and Iran Exchange Fresh Military Strikes as Tehran Buries Former Supreme Leader
×