Elon Musk’s so-called Division of Authorities Effectivity, empowered by President Donald Trump, has minimize off or restricted bank card entry for hundreds of presidency employees. These adjustments have led to disruptions that are actually negatively affecting the event of key security gear utilized by members of the army.
DOGE put in place a $1 restrict on authorities buy playing cards issued by the Basic Companies Administration by way of that company’s GSA SmartPay Credit score Card system. DOGE additionally just lately canceled 200,000 playing cards throughout 16 businesses.
However these playing cards are utilized by researchers creating security supplies utilized by the armed providers. The cost playing cards are used to buy uncooked supplies utilized in testing ballistics on physique armor and for helmet-impact experiments. The Washington Publish additionally reported that the freeze has additionally affected the federal government’s capability to pay contractors who help the Military in figuring out troopers killed years in the past in fight.
“Even after canceling 200k, there are still twice as many government credit cards as there are government employees!” Musk wrote, praising the cuts.
However this isn’t true.
Shauna Weatherly, head of Federal Subcontract Options, instructed the Federal Information Community that there are round 700,000 lively playing cards. Final month, there have been greater than 3 million individuals employed by the federal authorities, in line with the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Moreover, the automobiles are sometimes used to save lots of the federal government cash.
“The government wants to get those refunds on the travel. They want to get the tax-exempt status on the travel, so they don’t have to pay taxes, and then go chase after it and try to recoup taxes. There are those benefits to having the card, and that’s why those people have them,” Weatherly defined.
DOGE and Musk serially lie concerning the businesses they assault. And thru its web site, DOGE has claimed billions in taxpayer financial savings that impartial fact-checkers have debunked.
The charge-card disruption is only one manner the actions of DOGE and Musk, the wealthiest particular person on the earth, have harm the army.
Veterans are within the crosshairs of DOGE-initiated cuts on the Division of Veterans Affairs. By reducing VA employees, the already-squeezed company is prone to scale back veteran entry to well being care.
“They’re going to put guys like me and my fellow Marines that rely on the VA in the ground,” Gregg Bafundo, a Marine veteran of the primary Gulf Battle, instructed the Related Press.
Republicans have lengthy claimed to assist the troops, however because of Trump, Musk, and DOGE, the get together is leaving lively army members unprotected and with out the care they want once they turn into veterans.
