Trump Signs EO 14222 -- "Cost Efficiency Initiative" -- Gives DOGE a Kill Switch Over All Government Payments

Executive Order 14222 required every federal agency to create "a centralized technological system" recording every payment issued with justification by the employee who approved it. This system gave agency heads -- and DOGE team leads -- a kill switch to override any payment in real time. The order also required agencies to review all existing contracts, grants, and loans for termination or modification. DOGE subsequently claimed credit for terminating 15,887 grants and 13,440 contracts, though independent analysis found over 3,600 contracts and 2,600 grants listed on DOGE's website showed $0 in savings, along with duplicate entries and credit for programs that had already concluded.