Elon Musk is now heading the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has announced the cancellation of more than 300,000 credit cards issued under public programs. 

The move is part of a broader initiative to eliminate wasteful spending of taxpayer funds. 

“It’s unacceptable to keep open lines of credit for people who no longer work with the government—or who are even deceased,” said Musk.

Elon Musk Orders Unprecedented Credit Card Cancellation

In a sweeping and unprecedented move, the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, under the leadership of Elon Musk, has announced the immediate deactivation of more than 300,000 credit cards tied to government programs.

This decision is part of a radical restructuring of federal expenditures, aimed at curbing waste and strengthening safeguards against administrative fraud.

According to DOGE spokespeople, the operation was launched following a nationwide audit that uncovered an alarming number of inactive cards or cards issued to individuals no longer affiliated with official programs. 

As reported by USA Today, Musk personally ordered the cancellation of these accounts.

“It is unacceptable to keep credit lines open for people who no longer work with the government—or who have even passed away,” Musk stated. 

“This system has enabled inefficiency with impunity for years. That ends now.”

DOGE Tightens Credit Card Issuance Protocols

Under the new protocol, government credit cards cannot be issued without enhanced verification processes. 

These include biometric confirmation of the cardholder’s identity and automated cross-checking with databases of deaths and employment terminations.

The reform is designed to prevent abuses like those uncovered during the audit, which revealed accounts registered to individuals over 130 years old, cards used for personal expenses, and duplicate cards within the same program.

The first phase of the reform has already impacted departments of defense, infrastructure, and economic development. 

In the coming weeks, it will expand to include agencies handling health, education, and foreign affairs. 

All current officials will be required to revalidate their eligibility for institutional cards under much stricter criteria.

New Digital Platform for Real-Time Monitoring

DOGE is also developing a unified digital platform to track the real-time use of every government-issued card. 

According to sources close to the initiative, every transaction will be logged with geolocation, verified user identity, and mandatory justification. 

Musk reportedly compared the platform to the traceability systems used at SpaceX, his aerospace company.

While some stakeholders have raised concerns about potential disruptions—especially in rural areas where institutional credit is vital for transportation and supplies—DOGE insists that essential services will not be affected. 

Musk has stressed that the goal is not to paralyze government operations but to restore control and transparency.

“If a card is essential, it will stay,” Musk said. “But we can’t keep acting like taxpayer money grows on trees. Every dollar matters.”

The billionaire entrepreneur has committed to releasing a monthly report detailing the savings generated by this administrative purge.