‘Radical transparency:’ President Trump orders ‘wasteful’ federal programs, contracts exposed

By Casey Harper
The Center Square

President Donald Trump sent a memo to all federal agency heads Tuesday directing them to release all details related to the cut grants, contracts and other federal spending deemed "wasteful."

Trump sent the "radical transparency about wasteful spending" memo to federal agency heads, the latest in his and Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk’s war on federal waste.

Musk has encountered opposition and lawsuits from federal workers and Democrats, so this order could beef up his efforts for transparency as he roots through federal records and archives and seeks more details about cut programs.

“The United States Government spends too much money on programs, contracts, and grants that do not promote the interests of the American people,” Trump's order said. “For too long, taxpayers have subsidized ideological projects overseas and domestic organizations engaged in actions that undermine the national interest."

The order instructs federal agencies to make public the details of canceled contracts, grants and other federal spending. The order does tell agencies to abide by federal laws and to do so as they "deem appropriate to promote the policies of my Administration."

Trump’s executive order Tuesday comes the same day that DOGE touted cutting $55 billion in federal spending. On top of that, a federal judge Tuesday ruled against a Democrat-led effort to get a temporary restraining order against Musk as he looks for more cuts.

That ruling, though, suggested Musk’s authority could be questioned on legal grounds, suggesting more legal battles for Musk and Trump down the road.

“The American people have seen their tax dollars used to fund the passion projects of unelected bureaucrats rather than to advance the national interest,” Trump's order said. “The American people have a right to see how the Federal Government has wasted their hard-earned wages.”