DOGE 'playbook' unveiled by GOP senator as Musk-led agency shakes up federal government

FIRST ON FOX: Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., debuted his annual book of "federal fumbles" that he believes can provide additional ideas for the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as it continues to aggressively slash federal agency spending. 

The founding Senate DOGE Caucus member filled 26 pages with examples of what he believes are government shortcomings and inefficiencies, as well as the money they waste. 

In a letter to readers, Lankford wrote, "My goal is to create a roadmap for DOGE, identifying key areas within the federal government and solutions to fix them."

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One of the fumbles cited was related to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which was recently dismantled by DOGE. 

Lankford pointed to a May 2024 report from the Special Inspector General from Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) that showed $11 million in taxpayer cash had gone to the terrorist group the Taliban since 2021, the year President Joe Biden oversaw the disastrous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. 

This was revealed after USAID had claimed in its own report that no money had been intercepted by the Taliban. 

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Lankford prescribed implementing a "tougher, more comprehensive screening process to vet organizations and partners receiving aid" to avoid this in the future. 

Another area highlighted by the Senate DOGE Caucus member was the news broadcasting entities, the U.S. Agency of Global Media (USAGM) and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which he said undercut the U.S. on the world stage and at home despite receiving money from Congress. 

He noted that "956 million was spent showcasing United States government scandals and weaknesses within our country" on Voice of America (VOA) and the office of CUBA Broadcasting (OCB), which serve to provide information to regions with limited freedom of the press. The two organizations are overseen by USAGM. 

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Additionally, the Republican remarked that CPB, a private organization which receives money from Congress, in turn provides significant funds to NPR and PBS. The two outlets have long been criticized for a perceived bias against Republicans. 

In fact, an editor publicly called out NPR last year for its bias, citing examples like Hunter Biden's laptop and its lack of coverage. This led to a renewed effort from Republicans in Congress to defund CPB.

The "Playbook for DOGE" also addressed what it labeled "Biden's Biggest Fumble." 

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"Arguably the biggest fumble of the Biden administration was the way they handled the southern border. Specifically, how the U.S. Customs and Border Protection released hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens into this country with a piece of paper asking them to self-report to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for processing anywhere in the country," it reads, referring to the immigrants paroled into the country. 

To address this, Lankford called to reinstate the "Remain in Mexico" policy, which the Trump administration has indicated it will do. He stressed that "Congress must still pass legislation to prevent any future president from allowing illegal aliens into the country with no vetting and to close the asylum loophole."