Whatley defended DOGE and that DOGE needed to be “aggressive.” Whatley claimed that we owed Musk A “debt of gratitude” for DOGE.
DOGE cuts harmed Western North Carolina food banks, harmed North Carolina military families and impacted North Carolina’s research and innovation.
[AUDIO] Whatley Claimed That DOGE Was The “Most Effective Way” To Get “Waste Out Of Our System.” “Well, look, I think you have to understand why it's an interim state. The fact is that special government employees are only allowed to be on duty for 130 days. Elon understands that DOGE's mission is going to have to continue, and he definitely wants to continue to support the president and the agenda that we're moving forward with. We owe him a huge debt of thanks for coming in and setting up the DOGE program. I don't think anybody could have anticipated that they would find what they have found. But when we talk about eliminating waste, fraud and abuse, this is by far the most effective way that we could ever conceive of to try and identify it and get that waste out of our system.” [Brian Kilmeade Show, 5/30/25]
[VIDEO] Whatley Claimed That DOGE Was An “Important First Step.” “You know, I think when President Trump came in, and he put the DOGE program in place to find the fraud, the waste, the abuse; that's an important first step.” [Newsmax: Ed Henry The Big Take, 8/19/26]
[VIDEO] Whatley Claimed That “We Need To Do More” DOGE Cuts “Aggressively” And That DOGE Was “Absolutely Critical.” “Look, the fact is that we need major reforms. There's no question about it. And what we saw with the one big beautiful bill and the rescission bill that went through earlier this year were very important steps. They're not enough. We've got to do more. We need to use that reconciliation process to make true reforms that are going to make sure that we get our financial house in order. When you look at what Elon Musk brought to this administration out of the gate with DOGE absolutely critical for not just what they found, but the process by which they found it, and ending USAID and really truly going at the fraud that was pervasive throughout the government. We need to do more. We need to get that process back up and running, and very aggressively.” [Newsmax TV: Carl Higbie Frontline, 1/16/26]
[VIDEO] Whatley Called For DOGE To Be Ongoing. “Yeah, what we need right now is an economy that is going to go bigger, right? And we need to do better across every platform. And that comes down to tax policy, comes down to regulatory policy, comes down to trade policy. And obviously, we, DOGE was a critical factor when the president was sworn in. We need to make sure that that type of activity is always ongoing, and we can cut the waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government.” [Newsmax TV: Carl Higbie Frontline, 2/24/26]
[VIDEO] Whatley Claimed That A State-Level DOGE Was Needed. “And clearly, as we see in Minnesota right now, we need to have state-level DOGE, where we’re looking at what are the federal funds that are going out to these states being spent for…” [Newsmax TV: Carl Higbie Frontline, 1/16/26]
[AUDIO] Whatley Claimed That It Was “Absolutely Critical” That DOGE Continued And That “We Owe Elon Musk A Debt Of Gratitude For It.” “Not at all. Doge is absolutely not over. And it is absolutely critical that this is a concept that moves forward. When we talk about fighting waste, fraud and abuse. The president is very serious about fighting waste, fraud and abuse. And we need to root it out everywhere that we possibly can. We're going to see what the process, as we go through budget and appropriations is going to look like to be able to eliminate that out there. But the American people, 75% support eliminating waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government. This program was absolutely essential. We owe Elon Musk a debt of gratitude for it, for kicking this off and launching it the way that he has.” [The Takeout with Major Garrett, 5/27/25]
[AUDIO] Whatley Claimed That “We Owe [Musk] A Huge Debt Of Thanks For Coming In And Setting Up The DOGE Program.” “Well, look, I think you have to understand why it's an interim state. The fact is that special government employees are only allowed to be on duty for 130 days. Elon understands that DOGE's mission is going to have to continue, and he definitely wants to continue to support the president and the agenda that we're moving forward with. We owe him a huge debt of thanks for coming in and setting up the DOGE program. I don't think anybody could have anticipated that they would find what they have found. But when we talk about eliminating waste, fraud and abuse, this is by far the most effective way that we could ever conceive of to try and identify it and get that waste out of our system.” [Brian Kilmeade Show, 5/30/25]
[AUDIO] Whatley Claimed That He Was “Grateful” For Musk Setting Up DOGE. “You know, Elon Musk made a lot of great contributions to the campaign and to, you know, the transition period and getting doge set up. And we're grateful for those efforts.” [The Fox News Rundown, 6/10/25]
HEADLINE: "Western NC Food Banks, Pantries In Helene-Ravaged Communities See Federal Funding Cuts" [Charlotte Observer, 3/19/25]
DOGE Cut The Local Food Purchase Assistance Program, Which Helped Food Banks Buy Directly From Locally-Owned Farms To Secure Food For Western North Carolina Families In Need. According to the Charlotte Observer, "Western North Carolina food banks hope their communities and elected officials start speaking up. Still reeling from Helene, the federal government’s Local Food Purchase Assistance program helped knit together the local supply chain, food bank leaders say. The food banks bought directly from locally owned farms to secure healthy produce, dairy and meat for families in need. But the U.S. Department of Agriculture told states in early March it canceled the LFPA, Politico reported. The cuts will affect schools too, with the USDA also cutting hundreds of millions from a similar program." [Charlotte Observer, 3/19/25]
MANNA Foodbank And Second Harvest Food Bank Of Northwest NC Said They Faced A Multi-Million Dollar Funding Gap As They Tried To Serve Communities Still Suffering From The Impacts Of Hurricane Helene. According to the Charlotte Observer, "Now, MANNA FoodBank and Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC say they’re facing a multi-million dollar funding gap as they work to serve communities still recovering from the September tropical storm that caused widespread devastation. ‘Losing this support is devastating, not merely because of the financial setback, but because it directly affects an essential lifeline connecting agriculture, regional economic well-being, and the health of WNC families,’ MANNA CEO Claire Neal said in a statement." [Charlotte Observer, 3/19/25]
$2.3 Million In Federal Funding For Tobacco Prevention In North Carolina Was Terminated. According to WBTV, “In May, the official letter came: the N.C. DHHS’s federal funds designated for tobacco prevention had been terminated. That amounted to $2.3 million annually, funding much of the DHHS’s tobacco prevention branch: Herndon and eight of her staffers were furloughed, leaving just three early-career professionals with jobs.” [WBTV, 6/26/25]
NC Department Of Health And Human Services Lost $171 Million From DOGE Cuts. According to WFMY, “NC Department of Health and Human Services – $171 million” [WFMY, 4/21/25]
DOGE Cancelled A Grant To Help Middle School Girls Who Were In Military-Connected Families And Attended Local Public Schools Enroll In STEM Related Courses. According to the Center for American Progress, “DOGE also canceled a grant to Fayetteville, North Carolina, to help middle school girls who are both in military-connected families and attend local public schools enroll in STEM-related courses. The area around Fayetteville includes one of the largest U.S. military bases, making this loss particularly significant for the community.” [Center For American Progress, 6/9/25]
DOGE Cut $11 Million For The SERVE Center At UNC Greensboro Which Researches Ways To Help Students Both In And Out Of The Classroom. According to WFMY, “One of the most significant cuts locally is hitting the SERVE Center at UNC Greensboro, which is losing over $11 million in Department of Education funding. The SERVE Center researches ways to help students thrive both in and out of the classroom. The Vice Chancellor for Research and Engagement at UNCG, Dr. Sherine Obare, says the cut will mean ‘we are no longer able to do that specific work. However, there are other programs that SERVE carries out that support K-12 schools, and we will support those schools as much as we can.’” [WFMY, 4/21/25]
DOGE Cut $15 Million From High Point University Which Was Meant To Train New Teachers And Principles. According to WFMY, “High Point University is out $15 million for a program that trains new teachers and principals. The school says it's helping affected grad students transition to other funding sources.” [WFMY, 4/21/25]
Winston-Salem State University Lost $3 Million For A Teacher Training Program. According to WFMY, “Winston-Salem State University will lose $3 million for a similar teacher training program.” [WFMY, 4/21/25]
Wake Forest University Lost $18 Million Meant To Support Efforts To Preserve The Amazon Rainforest. According to WFMY, “Wake Forest University is losing $1.8 million from a grant meant to support efforts to preserve the Amazon rainforest.” [WFMY, 4/21/25]
The Research Triangle Institute Lost $228.5 Million In DOGE Cuts. According to WFMY, “Research Triangle Institute – $228.5 million” [WFMY, 4/21/25]