Nearly 40% of the federal contracts that the Trump administration claims to have canceled as part of its signature cost-cutting program aren’t expected to save the government any money, the administration’s own data shows.

The Department of Government Efficiency run by Elon Musk last week published an initial list of 1,125 contracts that it terminated in recent weeks across the federal government. Data published on DOGE’s “Wall of Receipts” shows that more than one-third of the contract cancellations, 417 in all, are expected to yield no savings.

That’s usually because the total value of the contracts has already been fully obligated, which means the government has a legal requirement to spend the funds for the goods or services it purchased and in many cases has already done so.

“It’s like confiscating used ammunition after it’s been shot when there’s nothing left in it. It doesn’t accomplish any policy objective,” said Charles Tiefer, a retired University of Baltimore law professor and expert on government contracting law. “Their terminating so many contracts pointlessly obviously doesn’t accomplish anything for saving money.”

Dozens of them were for already-paid subscriptions to The Associated Press, Politico and other media services that the administration said it would discontinue. Others were for research studies that have been awarded, training that has taken place, software that has been purchased and interns that have come and gone.

An administration official said it made sense to cancel contracts that are seen as potential dead weight, even if the moves do not yield any savings. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

In all, DOGE data says the 417 contracts in question had a total value of $478 million. Dozens of other canceled contracts are expected to yield little if any savings.

“It’s too late for the government to change its mind on many of these contracts and walk away from its payment obligation,” said Tiefer, who served on the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Tiefer said DOGE appeared to be taking a “slash and burn” approach to cutting contracts, which he said could damage the performance of government agencies. He said savings could be made instead by working with agency contracting officers and inspectors general to find efficiencies, an approach the administration has not taken.

DOGE says the overall contract cancellations are expected to save more than $7 billion so far, an amount that has been questioned as inflated by independent experts.

The canceled contracts were to purchase a wide range of goods and services.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded a contract in September to purchase and install office furniture at various branches. While the contract does not expire until later this year, federal records show the agency had already agreed to spend the maximum $567,809 with a furniture company.

The U.S. Agency for International Development negotiated a $145,549 contract last year to clean the carpet at its headquarters in Washington. But the full amount had already been obligated to a firm that is owned by a Native American tribe based in Michigan.

Another already-spent $249,600 contract went to a Washington, D.C., firm to help prepare the Department of Transportation for the recent transition from the Biden to the Trump administration.

Some of the canceled contracts were intended to modernize and improve the way government works, which would seem to be at odds with DOGE’s cost-cutting mission.

One of the largest, for instance, went to a consulting firm to help carry out a reorganization at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, which led the agency’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The maximum $13.6 million had already been obligated to Deloitte Consulting for help with the restructuring, which included closing several research offices.

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Republished with permission of The Associated Press.

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Launching her campaign for Orlando Mayor Monday, Rep. Anna Eskamani said her priorities are expanding SunRail rail service to weekends and nights, pushing for more affordable housing, and re-evaluating how Orange County’s hotel tax is spent.

Eskamani also urged Orlando’s long-ailing, underfunded bus service to be fixed and the train service to run at Orlando International Airport to be started.

“I am running for Mayor of Orlando because I believe in this city’s potential. I believe in its people, its promise and its future,” Eskamani said at her kickoff event that drew 650 supporters to downtown Orlando’s Beacham Theatre on a rainy night. “I also want to offer a bigger perspective, a bigger viewpoint of what cities could do because I don’t think we should measure our success by the number of ribbon cuttings we attend or the number of resolutions and memorials we might pass.”

Chinese dancers and an electric guitar player rocking the “The Star-Spangled Banner” were part of the festivities for the lone Democrat — so far — in the race to replace Mayor Buddy Dyer, who has ruled Orlando for six terms. Dyer has said he will not run again.

Eskamani touted herself as the next generation to take over from Dyer and a Progressive leader to stand up against President Donald Trump.

“In a state like Florida where we don’t have a firewall at the Governor’s office or the Legislature, we need cities to step up their game, to fight back against fascism, and to defend Democracy for all,” Eskamani told the packed crowd.

Eskamani said last month she was planning to file legislation to give Orange County more flexibility on how it spends the 6% surcharge on hotel taxes known as the tourism development tax (TDT). About $100 million every year of the TDT revenue goes to Visit Orlando to promote Disney World and the other Orlando attractions.

Now that she is running for mayor, Eskamani said her priority is determining whether TDT can be spent on other community needs. She also spoke out against corporate power without mentioning Disney or any other company by name.

“Every person should be able to influence their government, not just those with deep pockets. The reality is our political system is broken,” Eskamani said.

Already, Eskamani won the endorsement of the Central Florida AFL‑CIO and raised $200,000 less than three weeks after announcing her bid for Mayor in December.

Eskamani’s high school history teacher, advocates she met as a lawmaker, and elected officials all described her as an energetic workhorse who stood up for the underdog.

She never misses a parade in Orlando and has sponsored or co-sponsored 17 bills for the upcoming Session. During the pandemic, her office also fielded tens of thousands of calls from Floridians shut out of the state’s unemployment system.

“I don’t know how she does it, but she’s everywhere,” said LGBTQ activist Andrea Montanez, who joked that Eskamani’s twin sister, Ida, must be helping her with appearances.

Speaking in support of Eskamani Monday were several Democrats, which included U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost from video in Washington, D.C., state Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, and state Reps. Johanna López and LaVon Bracy Davis.

“Anna Eskamani has never been afraid of a fight. And let me tell you something, she’s never fought alone because when Anna steps up, the people step up,” Davis said. “When she rides into battle, we ride with her.”

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