A sweeping investigation into federal spending has revealed that $4.7 trillion in payments went unaccounted for due to missing tracking codes. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has flagged the issue, citing the lack of required Treasury Account Symbol (TAS) codes on a massive number of transactions processed by the Treasury Department.
DOGE, which was created under President Donald Trump’s administration, has now implemented a new rule requiring all federal payments to include a TAS code. The agency says the change will ensure greater financial accountability and prevent similar oversight issues in the future.
The Treasury Access Symbol (TAS) is an identification code linking a Treasury payment to a budget line item (standard financial process).
In the Federal Government, the TAS field was optional for ~$4.7 Trillion in payments and was often left blank, making traceability almost…
— Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) February 17, 2025
Elon Musk, who has played a key role in DOGE’s operations, highlighted the issue on X, stating that identifying these payments was a major step toward improving financial transparency. His team has also uncovered irregularities in Social Security records, including millions of beneficiaries listed as over 130 years old.
$4.7 TRILLION in untraceable payments!!!!!
That’s 4.7 trillion reasons that make it hard to believe this was a mistake or incompetence even. https://t.co/IvJDETdAzZ
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) February 18, 2025
In addition to investigating untracked payments, DOGE has been looking at potential savings in other areas of government spending. One proposal includes eliminating paper checks issued by federal agencies, a move that could save an estimated $750 million per year. The Treasury Department processed 116 million such checks in 2024, with maintenance costs adding to federal expenses.
Joe Scarborough wrongly says that when it comes to the $36 trillion national debt, “85% of that does not come from anything that DOGE is touching.”
DOGE just found the Treasury Department made $4.7 trillion payments that are UNTRACEABLE because they were missing a critical code. pic.twitter.com/KEbN1B0X0s
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) February 18, 2025
DOGE has also been seeking access to the IRS’s Integrated Data Retrieval System, which holds taxpayer records and financial information. The request has sparked concerns among privacy advocates, who warn that giving DOGE access could lead to violations of taxpayer rights. IRS officials have pushed back against the request, citing security concerns.
DOGE has found $4.7 trillion in virtually untraceable treasury payments. Most people can't fathom a billion; 4.7 trillion is absurd. pic.twitter.com/WP57Lt7QcR
— Papa Hemingway (@PopHemingway) February 19, 2025
The agency reports that it has already saved taxpayers approximately $55 billion through fraud detection, contract renegotiations and program eliminations. As DOGE continues its mission to cut government waste, its efforts are drawing both praise and scrutiny.
DOGE finds the treasury released $4.7 trillion in untraceable payments, coinciding exactly with Biden's proposed 2024 tax increase amount.
Not implying a connection, just noting an interesting alignment. pic.twitter.com/YmMjDBLb1W
— Stella (@clairdestella) February 18, 2025
$2.7 TRILLION in Medicare $ went overseas?
$4.7 TRILLION untraceable from the US Treasury?
$20 BILLION in gold bars was hidden by the Biden administration?
When are the criminal traitors responsible going to prison?
Asking for 335 million friends.
— American Warrior for Christ (@johnrackham82) February 19, 2025
$4.7 trillion untraceable—yet they want to audit every $600 transaction we make. The real criminals are the ones running the system. pic.twitter.com/CosMyqLxPI
— cf (@cf__200) February 18, 2025
