Florida returns $878 million in taxpayer funds to the federal government after meeting with Musk
Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday that the state is returning more than $878 million to the federal government, which has been trying to give back in the past few years in the Biden administration.
DeSantis’s office notified the U.S. Treasury that it would refund $878,112,000.
The governor said the move came after meeting with billionaire Elon Musk and his team held in the newly formed government efficiency department or threshold department.
“For years, Florida has been trying to return federal funds to the federal government due to the ideological string attached to the Biden administration, but they can’t even figure out how to accept it,” DeSantis wrote on Friday.
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DeSantis’s office notified the U.S. Treasury that it would refund $878,112,000. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, file)
He continued: “Today, I met with @Elonmusk and the Doge team and we did that same day.”
DeSantis advises other states “should follow Florida’s efforts to support Doge!”
The governor’s office said in an email to the Treasury Department that it will look for additional excess federal funds that can be refunded.
“Florida officially returns $878,112,000 from taxpayer payments to the federal government after meeting with Elon Musk today, as part of the Doge effort,” the email said. “We will also continue to identify other unused or surplus federal funds granted to Florida and determine whether further refunds can be made. We hope our actions are a role model for other states to follow.”
DeSantis advises other states “should follow Florida’s efforts to support Doge!” (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Musk, who also served as senior adviser to President Donald Trump, responded to the governor’s position on X.
“Your taxpayer’s funds are nearly a billion dollars,” Musk said on social media platforms.
DeSantis announced last month that it would set up a Doge task force in Florida to “further eliminate waste within the state government, save money for taxpayers, and ensure Florida’s accountability.”
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DeSantis announced the return of federal funds after meeting with Elon Musk of Doge and his team. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
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“Florida sets the standard for fiscally conservative governance, and our New Florida Church Task Force will provide more services to the people of Florida,” DeSantis said at the time. “It will eliminate redundant boards and committees, review state universities and universities’ operations and spending, leverage artificial intelligence to further examine state agencies to discover hidden waste, and even review local entities’ spending habits to illuminate waste and expanding lights.”
