Top Trump agency recovers eye-popping sum after launching DOGE task force

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner announced a new Department of Government Efficiency task force on Thursday to “eliminate waste, fraud and abuse” at his federal agency.

DOGE revealed that $1.9 billion in HUD money had been recovered as of Friday, saying the funds were misplaced during the Biden administration and were “earmarked for the administration of financial services, but were no longer needed.” 

DOGE said it worked with Turner to release the funds, and they are now available for use by the U.S. Department of Treasury. 

Turner said HUD launched its own DOGE Task Force to review how the agency is spending taxpayer money. HUD employees will lead the task force with a mission to maximize their budget and efficiency, reporting their findings directly to Turner. 

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U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner was confirmed Feb. 5, 2024.  (Getty Images)

“HUD will be detailed and deliberate about every dollar spent to serve rural, tribal and urban communities. Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, we are no longer in a business-as-usual posture, and the DOGE task force will play a critical role in helping to identify and eliminate waste, fraud and abuse and ultimately better serve the American people,” Turner said. 

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Turner said he established the task force to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order to “maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.” 

The HUD DOGE Task Force will work to “ensure all programs, processes and personnel are working together to advance the purpose of the department.”

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner launched a Department of Government Efficiency Task Force to review how HUD is spending taxpayer dollars. (Getty/AP)

HUD is responsible for national housing policy and urban development, and its programs include affordable housing programs, community development, homeowner support, fair housing and anti-discrimination enforcement, homelessness services, and affordable housing programs. 

Turner said during his announcement Thursday that the DOGE Task Force had already identified over $260 million in savings. 

“We have already identified over $260 million in savings, and we have more to accomplish,” Turner said. 

As Elon Musk and DOGE comb their way through the federal bureaucracy, some agencies are conducting their own investigations to meet DOGE halfway. 

Administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency Lee Zeldin announced on Thursday he had canceled a $50 million environmental justice grant. 

Elon Musk listens as President Donald Trump speaks with reporters in the Oval Office at the White House Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Washington.  (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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“I canceled a $50 million grant to an organization called the Climate Justice Alliance. They say that climate justice runs through a free Palestine. I think that the American taxpayer wouldn’t want $50 million going to this left-wing advocacy group. It’s canceled,” Zeldin said. 

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has also committed to cooperating with DOGE to cut wasteful spending at the Department of Defense. 

“We will partner with them. It’s long overdue. The Defense Department’s got a huge budget, but it needs to be responsible,” Hegseth told Fox News.