Trump Says He’s ‘Very Proud’ of the Job DOGE Is Doing

‘We’re going to be looking at tremendous amounts of money ... being spent on things that bear no relationship to anything and have no value,’ Trump said.

President Donald Trump speaks during a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in the East Room at the White House on Feb. 7, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

President Donald Trump on Feb. 7 defended the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE’s) access to federal IT systems and confirmed he directed its staff to probe the departments of Education and Defense.

Trump made the comments during a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday. In response to a question about DOGE staffers allegedly accessing data that could include Americans’ personal information, Trump justified the advisory commission’s actions.