‘Shame On You’: Sean Spicer Verbally Jousts With Dem Contrib Who Suggests DOGE Not Cutting ‘Fraud, Waste And Abuse’

Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer sparred with Democratic NewsNation political contributor A. Scott Bolden on Thursday over how effectively the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is cutting waste, fraud and abuse.

DOGE says on its website that it has saved taxpayers an estimated $65 billion, including through “fraud detection/deletion.” Bolden, on “NewsNation Now,” took issue with DOGE’s methods, suggesting it was just cutting programs it opposed rather than focusing on waste, fraud and abuse, but Spicer disagreed. (RELATED: DOGE Reportedly Begins Chipping Away At IRS’s Legion Of Tax Collectors)

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“It’s one thing to say you don’t like a program. It’s another thing to say that program is fraud, waste and abuse,” Bolden said. “There’s a fine line between that and the president and his administration have gotten confused with those lines. Because you don’t have to like it but that doesn’t mean you can illegally shut it down. If it’s real fraud, waste and abuse, everyone’s going to be on board with that.”

“We’re $36 trillion dollars in debt, $2 trillion a year in deficit spending. And at some point, the talk is done,” Spicer responded. “We need to aggressively look at the size and the waste of our government and, if right now, you’re sitting back complaining about the process, then it’s shame on you that for the last several decades, we’ve done nothing about it.”

Spicer acknowledged that he might not be aligned with all of DOGE’s actions, but said he’s “happy as a taxpayer that somebody is finally, finally, finally addressing the waste, fraud, abuse, inefficiencies, duplicities, all of the other bloated waste in government that happens.”

He also called out specific government programs pertaining to transgender ideology and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in foreign nations.

“That’s not soft power, that’s waste,” Spicer said. “And I’m glad that somebody is finally standing up for taxpayers and taking this seriously.”

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) distributed 65.5 million condoms, 9.8 million injectable birth control products and 334,000 IUDs to other nations in fiscal year 2022 to facilitate family planning, especially in the third world. It also gave a $2 million grant to Guatemala to fund “gender-affirming care” and LGBTQ activism.

CNN anchor Pamela Brown questioned Democratic California Rep. Ted Lieu on Feb. 19 about whether he backs American taxpayer funds going toward initiatives abroad, including “gender-affirming health care in Guatemala, teaching people in Kazakhstan to fight back against internet trolls, voluntary male circumcisions in Mozambique, creating work opportunities for young LGBTQI+ people in Serbia,” which she asserted her network had verified DOGE has cut. Lieu declined to provide a direct response, instead shifting to talk about his opposition to proposed Republican “tax breaks.”

Moreover, Democratic Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett asserted on Friday that she does not believe there is significant waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government.

“I’m not going to say that there’s a lot — I’m going to say that it does exist,” Crockett said. “I’m going to say that it exists. I don’t think that there’s a lot.”

Pollster Frank Luntz said Wednesday that “paycheck to paycheck voters” tell him they are pleased with President Donald Trump’s second-term so far in part because of his administration’s efforts to improve government efficiency.

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