In a high-profile appearance on Jesse Watters Primetime, Elon Musk and members of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) pulled back the curtain on what they say is one of the most shocking discoveries yet in their mission to root out waste and misconduct across federal agencies. The agency in question? The U.S. Institute of Peace — an organization whose mission and reality, according to DOGE, couldn’t be more at odds.
According to the DOGE team, the Institute of Peace has not exactly lived up to its name. During their inspection, Musk’s team says they discovered that the agency was storing loaded firearms at its headquarters — a bizarre and troubling finding for a government body ostensibly dedicated to conflict resolution and diplomacy.
Musk, known for his blunt assessments, commented with characteristic sarcasm:
“Any given organizational name is going to be kind of the opposite of the title,” underscoring his skepticism of bureaucratic branding.
But the findings didn’t stop with weapons. The team also uncovered questionable financial practices, including:
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A $130,000 contract to a former Taliban member for vague, undefined services.
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Private jet travel paid for with taxpayer funds.
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An alarming scheme where unspent federal funds were swept into a private bank account, completely outside of congressional oversight.
DOGE revealed that $55 million in annual taxpayer funding was being funneled to the agency — and any leftovers weren’t returned to Congress. Instead, they were reportedly used for internal events and high-end travel.
Perhaps most disturbing is the allegation that, within hours of DOGE’s arrival, the chief accountant at the agency deleted over a terabyte of financial records — data tied to agency leadership. Thankfully, DOGE officials say whistleblowers within the agency helped them recover the information, but the attempted cover-up has only intensified scrutiny.
Musk’s DOGE initiative, launched by President Trump to streamline government, has now zeroed in on the Institute of Peace as a prime example of agency mission drift and fiscal mismanagement. As one DOGE member noted:
“When the country was founded, there were only four agencies. Today, there are over 400.”
Two executive orders from Trump have already been signed to begin cutting that number down — and the Institute of Peace may be among the first on the chopping block.
Elon Musk also confirmed during the interview that while he plans to reduce his day-to-day involvement with DOGE, he will remain a key player, committing roughly two days a week in Washington. He expressed confidence that the department has found its rhythm and can now operate efficiently without constant supervision.
“Rooting out government waste hasn’t been easy,” Musk admitted, but added, “We’re making real progress.”
