Is your credit card at risk? Here’s what you need to know about DOGE cutting 600,000+ accounts
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If you’ve ever wondered how the government keeps its financial house in order—or, let’s be honest, how it sometimes lets things get a little messy—then you’ll want to pull up a chair for this one.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has just made headlines by slashing over 600,000 government credit cards, and the ripple effects are being felt across more than 50 federal agencies.
But what does this mean for you, the taxpayer? And what’s really going on behind the scenes? Let’s dig in.
A Credit Card Clean-Up of Epic Proportions
In March of this year, The GrayVine reported on the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) sweeping move to cancel over 200,000 federal credit cards—a cost-cutting initiative backed by White House advisor Elon Musk.
Billed as a push for leaner government spending, the policy triggered both praise and concern, as agencies like the FDA and Department of Defense began reporting disruptions to basic operations.
With exemptions limited to disaster relief and critical services, the freeze quickly revealed its unintended consequences across the federal workforce.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has now deactivated over 610,000 government credit cards, accounting for more than 13% of all cards issued to federal employees.
In its latest update, the agency acknowledged that while progress has been made, there's still “more work to do.”
Why the Big Cut?
Federal employees rely on approximately 4.6 million government-issued credit cards for essential transactions and purchases. DOGE’s large-scale cuts are among the most significant changes to the federal payment infrastructure in recent memory.
In a Friday update posted on social media, DOGE announced it had expanded its auditing initiative to 55 agencies, resulting in the cancellation of the aforementioned number of credit cards:
"Credit Card Update! After 14 weeks, the program to audit unused/unneeded credit cards has expanded to 55 agencies resulting in ~610k de-activated cards. As a reminder, at the start of the audit, there were ~4.6M active cards/accounts; more work to do!"
In earlier news: Are you at stake? Federal agency cuts access to thousands of credit cards amid budget constraints
The cuts have been part of a phased effort initiated at the start of President Donald Trump’s second term.
A February executive order imposed a freeze on most government employee credit cards, allowing exceptions only for "disaster relief or natural disaster response benefits or operations or other critical services."
DOGE and agency heads have also approved specific categorical and individual exemptions.
Expert Reactions
Michael Ryan, founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com, explained the broader impact of the cuts to Newsweek: "These aren't your typical consumer credit cards. We're looking at lifelines for federal agencies—cards that keep the lights on, quite literally..."
Jessica Childress, a former Department of Justice attorney and founder of the Childress Firm, told Fortune in March: "These cards are the ways that many government workers are performing the duties they've taken an oath to perform..."
What Happens Next?
DOGE continues its campaign without Elon Musk, who exited his White House advisory role at the end of May. Despite his departure, the credit card audit and cancellation program remains in full swing.
Read next: From cost cutter to counselor: Musk’s role with Trump shifts, not ends
Have you ever worked in government or managed company credit cards? What do you think about DOGE’s big cut? Share your thoughts, stories, and suggestions in the comments below!
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has just made headlines by slashing over 600,000 government credit cards, and the ripple effects are being felt across more than 50 federal agencies.
But what does this mean for you, the taxpayer? And what’s really going on behind the scenes? Let’s dig in.
A Credit Card Clean-Up of Epic Proportions
In March of this year, The GrayVine reported on the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) sweeping move to cancel over 200,000 federal credit cards—a cost-cutting initiative backed by White House advisor Elon Musk.
Billed as a push for leaner government spending, the policy triggered both praise and concern, as agencies like the FDA and Department of Defense began reporting disruptions to basic operations.
With exemptions limited to disaster relief and critical services, the freeze quickly revealed its unintended consequences across the federal workforce.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has now deactivated over 610,000 government credit cards, accounting for more than 13% of all cards issued to federal employees.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has cancelled over 610,000 federal government credit cards, affecting more than 50 departments and agencies. Image source: CardMapr.nl / Unsplash.
In its latest update, the agency acknowledged that while progress has been made, there's still “more work to do.”
Why the Big Cut?
Federal employees rely on approximately 4.6 million government-issued credit cards for essential transactions and purchases. DOGE’s large-scale cuts are among the most significant changes to the federal payment infrastructure in recent memory.
In a Friday update posted on social media, DOGE announced it had expanded its auditing initiative to 55 agencies, resulting in the cancellation of the aforementioned number of credit cards:
"Credit Card Update! After 14 weeks, the program to audit unused/unneeded credit cards has expanded to 55 agencies resulting in ~610k de-activated cards. As a reminder, at the start of the audit, there were ~4.6M active cards/accounts; more work to do!"
In earlier news: Are you at stake? Federal agency cuts access to thousands of credit cards amid budget constraints
The cuts have been part of a phased effort initiated at the start of President Donald Trump’s second term.
A February executive order imposed a freeze on most government employee credit cards, allowing exceptions only for "disaster relief or natural disaster response benefits or operations or other critical services."
DOGE and agency heads have also approved specific categorical and individual exemptions.
Expert Reactions
Michael Ryan, founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com, explained the broader impact of the cuts to Newsweek: "These aren't your typical consumer credit cards. We're looking at lifelines for federal agencies—cards that keep the lights on, quite literally..."
Jessica Childress, a former Department of Justice attorney and founder of the Childress Firm, told Fortune in March: "These cards are the ways that many government workers are performing the duties they've taken an oath to perform..."
What Happens Next?
DOGE continues its campaign without Elon Musk, who exited his White House advisory role at the end of May. Despite his departure, the credit card audit and cancellation program remains in full swing.
Read next: From cost cutter to counselor: Musk’s role with Trump shifts, not ends
Have you ever worked in government or managed company credit cards? What do you think about DOGE’s big cut? Share your thoughts, stories, and suggestions in the comments below!
