President Donald Trump had a sharp message for bureaucrats on Tuesday. He ordered agency leaders to be “radically transparent” about spending. No more hiding wasteful costs.
The White House released a memo titled "Radical Transparency About Wasteful Spending." It was addressed to heads of executive departments and agencies. The message was clear: stop wasting taxpayer money.
The memo states that the government spends too much. Programs, contracts, and grants don’t always serve the American people. The waste has gone on for too long.
“For too long, taxpayers have subsidized ideological projects overseas and domestic organizations engaged in actions that undermine the national interest," the memo says. "The American people have seen their tax dollars used to fund the passion projects of unelected bureaucrats rather than to advance the national interest.”
It gets even sharper. “The American people have a right to see how the Federal Government has wasted their hard-earned wages.” Transparency isn’t optional. It’s an order.
Trump demanded that agencies release all spending details. Canceled contracts, terminated grants, discontinued funding—it all must be made public. No exceptions.
“Agencies shall ensure that such publication occurs in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the underlying contract, grant, or other award,” Trump wrote. The message was firm. The era of secrecy is over.
This memo aligns with Trump’s push to cut government waste. His Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is actively auditing agencies. The goal? Find waste and eliminate it.
On Monday night, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt backed the effort on "Hannity." She said Democrats talk about fixing government waste but never follow through.
“[L]isten to the words from those Democrat politicians, you would think you are listening to President Trump, Elon Musk and our entire administration, who are saying the exact same things that Democrat politicians promised the American people they would do for decades," Leavitt said. "President Trump is just the first president in our lifetimes to actually do it."
She didn’t hold back. “And now you see the Democrat Party and the mainstream media spiraling out of control about a very simple promise: rooting out waste, fraud and abuse from our federal bureaucracy,” she said. “This is a promise President Trump campaigned on. He is now delivering on it.”