The future of the $5,000 DOGE Dividend Stimulus is now uncertain after Elon Musk’s exit from the Trump administration. Musk’s departure from the Department of Government Efficiency in May 2025 has raised questions about whether the proposed DOGE stimulus check will come to fruition.
Musk was the head of DOGE, an agency created by Trump’s administration to cut federal waste and redirect savings back to the public in the form of a stimulus check. Over 79 million households were set to receive a one-time $5,000 stimulus check.
This idea was proposed by James Fishback, the CEO of Azoria. He proposed that 20% of the $2 trillion that DOGE had targeted to save through budget cuts be refunded to taxpayers. If the proposal were approved, a total of $400 billion would be distributed to all households in America, and each would get $5,000.
The idea gained momentum and people became hopeful after President Donald Trump hinted at supporting the idea at an investment summit in Miami Beach, Florida.
“The numbers are incredible, Elon. So many billions of dollars … hundreds of billions,” Trump told the Future Investment Initiative (FII) Priority Summit, referring to savings identified by Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
“We’re thinking about giving 20 percent back to the American citizens, and 20 percent down to pay back debt.”
Why the Future of DOGE Dividend Stimulus is Now Uncertain
Many Americans were hopeful, but with Musk’s exit, the hopes are expected to dwindle. Although the 130-day legal limit for special government employees was imminent, Musk’s resignation also came as he voiced strong disagreements with Trump’s massive spending bill.
Elon Musk recently hit out at President Trump’s signature tax and spending bill, and called on Americans to direct their representatives in Washington to “kill the bill”. He criticized the bill for adding to the national debt and termed it a fiscally irresponsible move.
According to DOGE, the agency has saved approximately $175 billion through fraud prevention, workforce cuts, and cancelled contracts. However, the amount still falls short of the $2 trillion goal that was required to fund the stimulus. Based on the current savings, each household would receive about $2,200 as per the plan.
To complicate matters, the proposal must be approved by Congress to become law. Currently, no such legislation exists. Experts, such as Elain Kamarck from the Brookings Institution, have made it clear that “It is illegal that you cannot spend money without Congress telling you that you can spend the money.”
Future of the DOGE Dividend Check Remains Unclear
President Trump confirmed that he remains committed to DOGE’s mission of curbing waste of federal funds, fraud, and abuse. However, support from Republicans for the DOGE Dividend stimulus appears to be weak. House Speaker Mike Johnson admitted that the plan could be politically popular but insisted that the government’s top priority should be to reduce the national deficit, which currently stands at $36 trillion.
These claims indicate the future of the $5,000 DOGE Dividend stimulus is highly doubtful. Without formal legislation, unmet savings goals, and rising inflation concerns, the implementation of the idea has slowed.
Some economists are also opposed to the idea because they worry that the checks would worsen inflation, similar to the COVID-era stimulus checks. Financial expert Sarah Maitre told GoBankingRates, “If inflation is already a concern, these checks could add fuel to the fire.”
Conclusion
After the departure of Elon Musk from DOGE, the DOGE Dividend Stimulus is now uncertain. Although the Trump administration still fully supports the plan, the fact that it must pass through Congress makes the chances of it happening soon slim.
With the absence of Elon Musk and limited support in Congress, the DOGE Dividend stimulus is now uncertain, and the plan may never come to fruition. Millions of Americans who were hopeful of receiving this financial relief will likely be disappointed.