Could you get a DOGE check from Trump, Musk in Louisiana? What you need to know

President Donald Trump has said that he and his administration are considering giving 20% of "DOGE savings," in the form of stimulus checks worth $5,000, to taxpayers.

DOGE, or the Department of Government Efficiency, headed by Elon Musk, has been engaging in efforts to terminate certain aspects of federal spending.

The funds saved through dissolving certain federal agencies, canceling grants and other avenue of federal funding would hypothetically fund the "DOGE stimulus checks."

Will DOGE stimulus checks actually be sent out?

This idea for U.S. taxpayers to receive dividend checks funded by the money Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency claims to be saving was first proposed by James Fishback, who is a CEO of an investment firm in Arizona, NBC News reported.

Fishback then made an X post regarding his proposed idea, to which Musk responded that he would share it with President Trump. Following this, Trump mentioned Fishback's idea at the FII Priority Summit in Miami Beach, USA Today reported.

There has been no actual indication that DOGE will be issuing a stimulus check to tax payers as a result of federal cost-cutting efforts. Any kind of stimulus payment issued by the U.S. government would need to be approved by Congress, which hasn't happened yet.

However, if Trump follows through with Fishback's plan to send dividend checks to taxpayers, then low-income citizens are unlikely to benefit.

Who would qualify for a DOGE stimulus check?

While President Trump has not shared specific details regarding the potential DOGE dividend payments, Fishback's four-page proposal for the DOGE dividend outlined that the payments would only be sent to "tax-paying householders" and would only go to households that are above a certain income level. This is in opposition to the Covid-era stimulus checks that were sent out "indiscriminately," reported USA Today.

Presley Bo Tyler is a reporter for the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com