Tech billionaire Elon Musk has raised concerns over the sheer number of government-issued credit cards, even after a large-scale cancellation effort.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk responded to an update from the Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE), which reported that over 200,000 unused or unnecessary government credit cards had been deactivated as part of an ongoing audit.
Despite this, Musk pointed out that the number of active cards remains double the number of government employees.
“Even after canceling 200k, there are still twice as many government credit cards as there are government employees!” Musk wrote.
Even after canceling 200k, there are still twice as many government credit cards as there are government employees! https://t.co/cxVZrlY11W
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 11, 2025
The Department of Government Efficiency’s audit, conducted in partnership with 16 agencies, initially found approximately 4.6 million active government credit cards.
Over the past three weeks, federal agencies – including the Department of Health and Human Services (@HHSGov) and the Department of the Interior – have led efforts to identify and deactivate unused or unneeded cards.
While the cancellation of 200,000 cards marks significant progress, Musk’s statement suggests that millions of active cards remain in circulation, far exceeding the number of federal employees.
Musk’s post has reignited debates over government spending, with many questioning how and why such a large number of credit cards were issued in the first place.
Critics argue that the discrepancy could indicate inefficiencies in financial management or even potential misuse of taxpayer funds.
The government has yet to clarify why so many credit cards remain active or what further steps will be taken to ensure better oversight.
As the review continues, pressure is mounting for greater transparency regarding government financial operations and the use of taxpayer-funded credit cards.
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