Federal Credit Card BONFIRE—What’s Really Behind It?

President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency eliminated over 610,000 federal credit cards in just 14 weeks, slashing government waste and proving that Washington’s bloated bureaucracy can be effectively reduced when there’s political will to do so.

Key Takeaways

• DOGE has deactivated more than 610,000 unused government credit cards across 55 agencies, representing a 13% reduction of all federal credit cards.
• The initiative examined approximately 4.6 million government credit card accounts as part of President Trump’s broader strategy to minimize wasteful spending.
• This credit card reduction follows a February executive order that froze most agency employee credit cards, with exceptions for critical services.
• The program continues under DOGE even after Elon Musk’s departure from the White House in May.
• Additional efficiency measures include eliminating dormant phone plans and unnecessary subscription services through collaborations with GSA and SBA.

Massive Credit Card Reduction Across Federal Agencies

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has implemented one of the largest overhauls of government spending practices in recent years, targeting the excessive number of credit cards issued to federal employees. The initiative has successfully deactivated more than 610,000 inactive federal credit cards across 55 different agencies, representing approximately 13% of all government-issued credit cards. This substantial reduction was accomplished in just 14 weeks, demonstrating the Trump administration’s commitment to rapidly addressing government inefficiency and wasteful spending that has spiraled out of control under previous administrations.

Weekly Credit Card Update!

Pilot program with 16 agencies to audit unused/unneeded credit cards. After 5 weeks, ~298,000 cards have been de-activated.

As a reminder, at the start of the audit, there were ~4.6M active cards/accounts, so still more work to do. pic.twitter.com/GXPemQt5Db

— Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) March 24, 2025

Prior to this initiative, federal employees utilized approximately 4.6 million government credit cards for official purchases and transactions. The sheer volume of these cards created significant oversight challenges and opportunities for waste, fraud, and abuse. DOGE’s comprehensive audit identified hundreds of thousands of cards that were either completely unused or no longer necessary for government operations. The streamlining effort began with a February executive order that implemented a freeze on most agency employee credit cards, with carefully considered exceptions for essential services and critical government functions.

Essential Tools Versus Wasteful Excess

While the credit card reduction has been substantial, government officials acknowledge that these cards serve important functions when properly managed. Michael Ryan emphasized the critical role these cards play in government operations, noting that they enable essential activities ranging from emergency travel to procurement of necessary supplies. “These aren’t your typical consumer credit cards. We’re looking at lifelines for federal agencies—cards that keep the lights on, quite literally. Need to book a last-minute flight for a critical meeting? There’s a card for that. Emergency maintenance part for a military vehicle? Yep, another card. Office supplies for a research lab working on something that could change the world? You guessed it—another card,” said Michael Ryan.

https://www.newsweek.com/doge-credit-card-cut-federal-government-spending-2082725

Similarly, Jessica Childress highlighted the practical importance of these cards for government workers performing their duties. “These cards are the ways that many government workers are performing the duties they’ve taken an oath to perform. It facilitates the ability of these employees to do their jobs,” said Jessica Childress. The challenge for DOGE has been identifying which cards are genuinely necessary versus those that represent redundant or wasteful access to government funds. The initiative’s success demonstrates that significant waste existed in the system, with over half a million cards now eliminated without disrupting essential government functions.

Ongoing Efficiency Efforts Under President Trump

The credit card reduction is just one component of President Trump’s broader strategy to decrease government size, cost, and inefficiency. DOGE continues to pursue additional efficiency measures even after the departure of its former leader, Elon Musk, who left the White House in May. In July, DOGE collaborated with the General Services Administration and the Small Business Administration to eliminate numerous dormant phone plans and unnecessary subscription services, further optimizing resource allocation across federal agencies. These initiatives demonstrate the administration’s systematic approach to identifying and eliminating waste throughout government operations.

“The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) indicated that it is still working to make changes in federal agencies, including cutting government credit card accounts,” reported DOGE. “A program that was introduced earlier this year has resulted in the cancellation of more than 610,000 unused or unneeded federal credit cards after 14 weeks, DOGE said in a post on social media platform X on June 6.”

https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/doge-says-it-terminated-more-federal-credit-cards-5870129

The remarkable speed and scale of this initiative highlight what can be accomplished when government efficiency becomes a genuine priority. Conservative fiscal management principles are being implemented across the federal government, with measurable results that benefit American taxpayers. Unlike previous administrations that paid lip service to efficiency while allowing bureaucracy to expand, President Trump’s DOGE is taking concrete action to streamline operations and eliminate waste, providing a model for further government reforms as his second term continues.