On Feb. 19, local time, US President Donald Trump announced at the "Future Investment Initiative Institute Priority Summit," hosted by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, that he is considering returning 20% of the US$2 trillion savings target from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, to American taxpayers. The proposed "DOGE bonus" would be issued in the form of rebate checks, with eligible households receiving up to US$5,000 each. If implemented, this would become one of the largest fiscal rebate programs in US history, totaling US$400 billion.

The proposal was initially suggested by James Fishback, CEO of investment firm Azoria Partners, in a Feb. 18 post on social media platform X. Fishback recommended that if DOGE achieves its goal of saving US$2 trillion in federal spending by July 2026, 20% of the savings should be returned to taxpayers as a bonus. Musk responded to the idea, stating he would discuss it with the President, leading to Trump's public statement at the summit the following day.

According to Fishback's calculations, approximately 79 million eligible American households—defined as net federal income tax contributors in 2025—would receive US$5,000 checks, amounting to a total distribution of US$400 billion. Additionally, another 20% of the savings would be allocated to reducing federal debt, while the remaining 60% would potentially be used for further budget cuts.

The White House has not yet provided a timeline for the "DOGE bonus," which requires two key conditions to be met: DOGE must achieve its savings target, and Congress must reach a bipartisan agreement on the allocation of funds.

Democratic lawmakers have criticized the plan, accusing it of favoring wealthier households and raising concerns about potential undue benefits Musk's companies, such as Neuralink and Tesla, could gain from weakened regulations.

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