Steve Bannon has voiced concerns that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) may be overestimating its ability to cut trillions in federal spending, suggesting instead that the agency focus on reducing waste within the billion-dollar range to help address inflation.
During a recent episode of his War Room podcast, Bannon emphasized that while he supports DOGE’s mission, the expected savings from eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse will likely fall short of the trillion-dollar mark. “This is not a smear against DOGE. I love what they’re trying to do, but the waste, fraud, and abuse is not going to be $1 trillion. It’s just not going to be,” he stated.
He proposed that the agency settle on a more realistic figure in the billions to avoid giving Democrats an opportunity to criticize the administration’s approach to federal cuts. “We’ve got to cut federal spending. It’s driving inflation, it’s driving everything, and I think the numbers are going to rapidly deteriorate. The Democrats are going to use that against President Trump,” Bannon explained, as reported by Mediate.
Calling for a definitive target, he pressed for clarity. “Is it $25 billion? $50 billion? $100 billion? Is it $10 billion? I really don’t care what the number is right now,” he said. “What is the absolute number? Let’s drive a stake in the ground.”
Trump has acknowledged rising inflation concerns, which have impacted consumers across the board, but continues to attribute the problem to policies from the previous administration. Recent data shows consumer expectations for inflation have reached their highest level in over a year.
Despite concerns over the feasibility of eliminating $1 trillion in waste, the president remains confident in Elon Musk’s leadership at DOGE. However, he has recognized that such significant cuts will need to happen in phases rather than all at once.