Despite the discrepancy, President Trump is considering issuing stimulus checks using 20% of the purported DOGE savings. Separately, the IRS is sending out $2.4 billion in stimulus checks to individuals who did not claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns.

An idea first proposed on social media has bubbled up to the White House and received President Trump's enthusiastic endorsement: Take some of the savings from billionaire Elon Musk's drive to cut government spending and return it to taxpayers.