House Democrat: 'I don't contest' DOGE will likely find 'awful examples of wasteful spending'

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) said Thursday he thinks President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) commission, led by tech billionaire Elon Musk, will find “awful examples” of wasteful government spending.

But he said it’s important the findings be brought to Congress, which is responsible for appropriating government funds, according to the U.S. Constitution.

“I think they are likely to find awful examples of wasteful spending. I don't contest that. I'm sure they can legitimately offer transparency and sunlight to the American people. Just come to Congress, show us what you're finding, and then force up or down votes,” Khanna said in an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”

“And if Ro Khanna still votes for those wasteful spending, I'll have to answer back home,” he continued.

Khanna criticized Musk’s approach “just to stop the payments or make these decisions unilaterally.”

“I don't think it's effective,” he said, adding that Trump and Musk can “actually have a partner with Congress to tell the American people what's wrong. And if you have a good case, the American people will demand those cuts.”

Khanna, who represents Silicon Valley, has said that he’s open to working with Musk and DOGE to cut government waste, especially pointing to possible cuts in the Department of Defense.

“When the president and Elon Musk said that they wanted to bring transparency to government, expose waste and fraud, I was one of the Democrats who said, 'OK, let's work to see where that can happen,'" Khanna said.

“The problem I have is, come to Congress, show where the fraud is, show where the wasteful spending is and force an up or down vote,” he added. “Don't make that decision unilaterally. That just, in my view, violates the Constitution. So if he wants to show that there's a lot of wasteful spending, come to Congress, force us to vote on it.”