KEY POINTS
- The account tracking field in question has since been made mandatory, as per DOGE
- Some X users called for accountability regarding the questioned TAS identification code
- One user said only the US government had a "sloppy" system
The U.S. Treasury Department is facing backlash after the unofficial White House unit, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by Elon Musk, alleged that the former has lost track of $4.7 trillion in payments due to a tracking field in its system that was "often left blank."
The DOGE said Monday that the U.S. Treasury's Treasury Access Symbol (TAS), an "optional" accounting feature, was an identification code that linked a Treasury payment to a specific budget line item.
However, the TAS field was often allegedly left out during accounting, "making traceability almost impossible."
As of Monday, TAS has been made "a required field" to increase oversight on where Treasury funds are being used.
The Treasury Access Symbol (TAS) is an identification code linking a Treasury payment to a budget line item (standard financial process).
— Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) February 17, 2025
In the Federal Government, the TAS field was optional for ~$4.7 Trillion in payments and was often left blank, making traceability almost…
"Thanks to @USTreasury for the great work," the DOGE said in a sarcastic dig at the federal government's finance manager, tax collector, and currency issuer.
X users shocked by alleged massive untraceable amount
There has been increasing outrage on X overnight following DOGE's allegations, as Musk continues to wield his power in the face of federal agencies.
The term "$4.7 trillion" was trending overnight through early Tuesday on the social media platform as Americans and X users discussed the development.
Memes are also emerging on the platform amid increasing backlash over the recent revelation.
4.7 Trillion gone like a puff of smoke, zero accountability , zero checks and balances. Nothing . pic.twitter.com/gPP5Fc2DSy
— Sweetie (@Karen67470875) February 17, 2025
Controversial conspiracy theorist Alex Jones said it was as if the Treasury payments went into "a black hole," calling it a form of "organized fraud."
Hank, a prominent "MAGA" supporter, said the U.S. Treasury wasn't "just wasting money, they were making it impossible to follow."
MAGA Voice, a well-followed figure in the Make America Great Again movement, also called for accountability regarding the matter. "We need to see people in prison."
"Only the U.S. government could be this sloppy," one user lamented, and another said it "sounds like America has been hijacked," noting how it will be likely impossible to retrieve funds lost to untraceable transactions.
One user suggested that employees, who approved the records without ensuring the payments were traceable, must be found and fired.
There were individual employees responsible for entering those codes. As a "required" field how did each record manage to entered? A real employee had to approve. Find those employees and fire them. If DOGE can find billions of waste they can find those who approved the waste.
— PoliticalFleaBites (@PNT1092X) February 17, 2025
