The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has launched an internal Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) task force, which has already uncovered $260 million in savings, HUD Secretary Scott Turner announced.

Turner, who was confirmed by the Senate as President Donald Trump’s pick to lead HUD on February 5, introduced the initiative on his first day in office.

In a press conference, Turner outlined the task force’s mission to review HUD’s budget, streamline operations, and ensure taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently.

Elon Musk Called This Financial News 'Terrifying'

According to a Thursday press release, the HUD task force will be composed of department employees who will “examine how to best maximize the agency’s budget and ensure all programs, processes, and personnel are working together to advance the purpose of the department.”

Turner highlighted the task force’s early success in identifying $260 million in savings.

I’m happy to announce the @DOGE Task Force at HUD.

We will identify and eliminate any waste, fraud, and abuse.

Under President Trump’s leadership business as usual is over. pic.twitter.com/4zAWTWETO9

— Scott Turner (@SecretaryTurner) February 13, 2025

American Made Patriotic Apparel - Save 15% with Promo Code MERICA

In a video shared on social media, Turner emphasized that DOGE is working to ensure that “taxpayers aren’t funding DEI [diversity, equity, and inclusion]” programs, which have come under scrutiny for their budgetary impact across multiple federal agencies.

HUD is working with @DOGE to take a full accounting of contracts to ensure that taxpayers aren’t funding DEI. pic.twitter.com/3uN3IzSbEX

— Scott Turner (@SecretaryTurner) February 10, 2025

The move aligns with broader efforts led by DOGE to restructure and streamline government spending, a key focus of the Trump administration.

DOGE leader Elon Musk addressed the issue of government efficiency at the World Governments Summit in Dubai on Wednesday. Musk suggested that cutting budgets alone may not be sufficient to address inefficiencies in federal agencies.

“I think we do need to delete entire agencies, as opposed to leave part of them behind,” Musk said, according to the National News Desk.

He likened partial agency cuts to removing weeds without addressing their roots.

“It’s kind of like leaving a weed. If you don’t remove the roots of the weed, then it’s easy for the weed to grow back. But if you remove the roots of the weed, it doesn’t stop weeds from ever going back, but it makes it harder,” Musk explained.

The launch of the HUD task force is part of a larger government-wide effort to identify and eliminate wasteful spending. DOGE has been at the forefront of these efforts, examining multiple federal agencies to reduce costs and increase operational efficiency.

Trump administration officials have signaled that more agencies may face restructuring or elimination as the government efficiency initiative continues.

The early success of the HUD task force suggests that similar efforts may be implemented in other departments.

As the administration moves forward with its budget-cutting measures, agencies are expected to undergo further review to determine areas where cost savings can be achieved without compromising essential services.

The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LifeZette. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.