Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Eliminates Information Silos to Stop Waste, Fraud, and Abuse

Fact Sheets

TLDR

This fact sheet for the referenced executive order on eliminating information silos is presented as promoting data transparency to combat waste and fraud, but a federal judge already ruled against similar data access attempts by DOGE as “a fishing expedition” that endangers sensitive private information. The order makes claims about billions in improper payments without proper context about actual fraud versus administrative errors, and fails to address significant privacy and implementation concerns raised by cybersecurity experts and legal authorities.

The “fact sheet” regarding President Trump’s executive order on eliminating information silos contains several claims that warrant scrutiny.

It presents the executive order as simply promoting data transparency to combat waste and fraud, but it glosses over significant concerns.

While claiming to maintain “applicable privacy protections,” a federal judge has already ruled against similar data access attempts by DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency), describing them as “a fishing expedition” that endangers sensitive private information of millions of Americans.

The judge specifically noted that the administration “never justified the need to access the data” and likely violated multiple federal laws in doing so.

The fact sheet fails to acknowledge that U.S. District Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander blocked DOGE’s unlimited access to sensitive Social Security Administration data just as this Executive Order was being signed.

The fact sheet also makes several claims about waste and fraud that lack proper context.

It attributes “$236 billion in improper payments” to the Biden Administration without acknowledging that improper payments include technical errors and documentation issues, not just fraud.

The “$925 billion total over four years” figure and “$2.7 trillion in improper payments” over 20 years lacks context about how these numbers compare to previous administrations or what percentage represents actual fraud versus administrative errors.

The Government Accountability Office estimates fraud losses between $233-521 billion annually, significantly less than the “trillions” claimed by Elon Musk, who heads DOGE.

Further, the fact sheet omits critical implementation issues.

It doesn’t address the privacy concerns raised by cybersecurity experts regarding “unfettered access” to protected personal, financial, and health information.

Law Professor Hilary Allen warns that many of the “inefficiencies” DOGE seeks to eliminate are actually protections for Americans, and changes to code may introduce security vulnerabilities.

The fact sheet fails to mention that DOGE was established without congressional authorization or funding.

The executive order’s approach has been characterized by a federal judge as “tantamount to hitting a fly with a sledgehammer,” suggesting the administration’s methods are disproportionate to the stated goals.

STOPPING WASTE, FRAUD, AND ABUSE THROUGH DATA TRANSPARENCY: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order stopping waste, fraud, and abuse by eliminating information silos.

  • Agency Heads are directed to grant full and prompt access of unclassified Agency records, data, and systems to Federal officials in order to identify and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse.
    • This includes authorizing and facilitating both the intra- and inter-Agency sharing and consolidation of unclassified Agency records.
  • Agency Heads must ensure immediate, unfettered access to comprehensive data from all state programs that receive federal funding, including third-party databases, to enhance oversight.
  • The Secretary of Labor will gain access to unemployment data and payment records to strengthen fraud detection efforts.
  • This Executive Order enhances accountability and streamlines government operations by ensuring Federal Agencies share critical data, consistent with applicable privacy protections.

ELIMINATING BUREAUCRATIC INEFFICIENCY: Decades of restricted data access within and between agencies have led to duplicated efforts, undetected overpayments, and unchecked fraud, costing taxpayers billions**.**

  • The Biden Administration’s lack of transparency allowed waste to flourish, with billions lost annually to improper payments and fraudulent claims.
  • In fiscal year 2023, the Biden Administration reported an estimated $236 billion in improper payments as the result of overpayments, inaccurate recordkeeping, and fraud.
    • 74% of these errors were overpayments, including payments to deceased individuals.
  • The Biden Administration lost more than $925 billion total over four years to improper payments.
  • Over the last 20 years, the Federal Government has made an estimated $2.7 trillion in such improper payments.
  • This Executive Order dismantles unnecessary barriers, promotes inter-agency collaboration, and ensure the Federal Government operates responsibly and efficiently to safeguard public funds.

SHRINKING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: Since returning to office, President Trump has moved swiftly to fulfill his promise of a leaner, more effective government.

  • On Day One, President Trump established the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) to examine how to streamline the Federal Government, eliminate unnecessary programs, and reduce bureaucratic inefficiency.
  • President Trump directed a hiring freeze across federal agencies and limited new hires to one for every four departures.
  • President Trump eliminated unnecessary agencies and government programs.
  • President Trump launched a 10-to-1 deregulation initiative, ensuring every new rule is justified by clear benefits.
  • President Trump promised to “cut waste, fraud, and abuse everywhere that we can find it, and there’s plenty of it.”