DeSantis Returns $878M in Tax Dollars to Feds After Meeting Musk's DOGE Team

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced a bold fiscal move on Friday, revealing that the state has returned a staggering $878,112,000 in taxpayer dollars to the federal government. The governor stated this decision was years in the making, citing frustration with "ideological strings" attached to the funds under the Biden administration.

The announcement followed a meeting between DeSantis and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, along with Musk's team from Florida's newly minted Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE (yes, they really named it that). After the meeting, DeSantis took to social media platform X to deliver the news, emphasizing the speed at which the initiative was carried out. "Today, I met with @elonmusk and the DOGE team, and we got this done in the same day," he wrote. Efficiency goals achieved, apparently.

DeSantis encouraged other states to emulate Florida’s approach by collaborating with DOGE, which was created just last month to tackle waste in state governance. According to the governor's office, the task force aims to identify and return surplus federal funds wherever possible, while also reviewing inefficiencies in state spending.

The email sent to the U.S. Treasury Department confirmed that Florida would continue to search for unused federal funds to return. "We hope our actions serve as a model for other states to follow," the message read. This is, without doubt, a headline-grabbing move—especially as fiscal conservatism remains a key talking point.

Even Musk chimed in on X, celebrating the nearly $1 billion saved. "Almost a billion dollars of your taxpayer money saved," he posted, likely adding another feather to his always-busy hat of public influence.

The DOGE task force, announced by DeSantis in February, has ambitious goals beyond just returning funds. It plans to eliminate redundant boards, audit local government spending, and even leverage artificial intelligence to sniff out inefficiencies. And yes, they've got their sights set on everything from state universities to local agencies. DeSantis touted this as yet another example of Florida setting "the standard for fiscally conservative governance." If AI starts reviewing expense reports, you can bet someone’s coffee budget will be in the crosshairs.

With this announcement, DeSantis appears to be doubling down on his reputation as a fiscal hawk and reformist. Whether this move will resonate with voters across the nation remains to be seen, but it’s clear that Florida is positioning itself as a case study in conservative governance. For now, DeSantis gets to play the hero of budget-conscious taxpayers—at least in the eyes of his supporters.