James Fishback, CEO of Azoria, proposed “DOGE Dividends” to repay 20% of DOGE savings to taxpayers. DOGE aims to save $2 billion over the next 18 months by optimizing government operations and reducing expenditures. Fishback proposed the concept on X, and Musk replied, “I’ll check with the President.” Trump declared his support in a speech in Miami on February 19, 2025, referring to COVID-19 pandemic stimulus payments that he personally signed for political publicity.
Fishback said that the project restores government confidence by recovering money that are thought to have been abused. In January 2025, Musk downplayed expectations, noting that $2 trillion is a “best case scenario,” with the chance of lowering $1 trillion.
Trump considers $5,000 DOGE stimulus checks
As of March 18, 2025, no formal action has been done to execute the checks. Trump touted the proposal as “under consideration,” implying $5,000 rewards per taxpayer home if DOGE accomplishes benchmarks. However, current CBO projections reveal a $1.1 trillion deficit in the first five months of Fiscal Year 2025, raising questions about the necessary cuts.
Experts such as Ernie Tedeschi of the Yale Budget Lab believe that the amount of the checks is “disproportionate to the cuts,” with current savings of $115 billion, or $142 per taxpayer if delivered immediately. Congressional permission is necessary, but House Speaker Mike Johnson wants to utilize savings to decrease debt, citing economic discipline.
In March 2025, Fishback voiced hope, stating that a measure is “on the way,” although no legislative language has been presented as of this writing.
The planned checks would target taxpaying families, especially net federal tax payers, while ignoring many low-income households that pay little or nothing, according to Pew Research Center statistics. This contrasts with the COVID-19 stimulus handouts, which favored low-income families. Fishback’s proposal anticipates 79 million qualified families getting $5,000 apiece, based on $400 billion in savings.
This is how stimulus checks can improve your household’s and America’s economy
The stimulus checks established in the United States during and after the COVID-19 epidemic had several economic and social advantages. During the epidemic, for example, they helped millions of individuals meet essential expenses including food, rent, electricity, and debt. This was critical for low-income families, who often lacked emergency funds.
According to studies conducted by the Urban Institute and the Census Bureau, despite the recession, poverty in the United States declined in 2020. This was credited in part to stimulus and complementing measures, such as enhanced unemployment benefits, which started under the first Trump administration and lasted into Joe Biden’s tenure.
The money pumped into the economy kept demand for goods and services stable, averting a deeper collapse. Retail commerce and critical services have benefitted immediately. They alleviated financial stress in homes, preventing mental health crises and social confrontations. This was particularly important in the setting of uncertainty and isolation.
Many local firms were able to survive by preserving customer buying power via internet sales or critical services, which in turn kept the economy of these micro and small enterprises alive. The US recovered quicker than past recessions. GDP increased by 5.7% in 2021, owing to increased expenditure in areas such as tourism, restaurants, and leisure as the economy resumed operations.