Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies: Radical Transparency About Wasteful Spending

Memorandums

TLDR

This memorandum mandates agency heads to publicly disclose all terminated programs, contracts, grants, and funding obligations, with the stated goal of exposing “wasteful spending” on programs deemed ideological or counter to national interests, while allowing agency discretion through “to the maximum extent permitted by law” language.

The memorandum titled “Radical Transparency About Wasteful Spending” represents a significant policy directive focused on government spending transparency.

Premise

The memorandum asserts that the U.S. government has been spending excessively on programs that don’t serve American interests, specifically highlighting:

  • Ideological projects overseas
  • Domestic organizations deemed counter to national interests
  • Bureaucrat-driven initiatives

The order instructs agency heads to publicly disclose details of:

  • Terminated programs
  • Cancelled contracts
  • Terminated grants
  • Other discontinued federal funding obligations

Potential Impact

This directive could significantly affect government operations by:

  • Creating a public record of discontinued federal spending
  • Potentially deterring future spending on similar programs
  • Exposing previously undisclosed government expenditures

Implementation Challenges

The memorandum faces several practical hurdles:

  • Legal constraints on disclosure of sensitive information
  • Contractual obligations that may limit public disclosure
  • Potential national security implications

Policy Implications

The memorandum appears designed to:

  • Signal fiscal conservatism
  • Challenge existing bureaucratic spending patterns
  • Create public pressure against certain types of government spending

The memorandum’s premise about wasteful spending requires context. While government waste exists, the broad characterization of overseas and domestic programs as “ideological” or “undermining national interest” is subjective and lacks specific criteria for such determinations.

The directive’s implementation is limited by the phrase “to the maximum extent permitted by law” and “as the heads of agencies deem appropriate,” which provides significant discretion to agency heads in determining what information to disclose.

SUBJECT: Radical Transparency About Wasteful Spending

The United States Government spends too much money on programs, contracts, and grants that do not promote the interests of the American people.  For too long, taxpayers have subsidized ideological projects overseas and domestic organizations engaged in actions that undermine the national interest.  The American people have seen their tax dollars used to fund the passion projects of unelected bureaucrats rather than to advance the national interest.  The American people have a right to see how the Federal Government has wasted their hard-earned wages.

I therefore direct the heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) to take all appropriate actions to make public, to the maximum extent permitted by law and as the heads of agencies deem appropriate to promote the policies of my Administration, the complete details of every terminated program, cancelled contract, terminated grant, or any other discontinued obligation of Federal funds.  Agencies shall ensure that such publication occurs in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the underlying contract, grant, or other award.