Ben & Jerry’s cofounder, Ben Cohen, launched a meme contest to find and highlight the most egregious waste at the Department of Defense (DOD).
On Trump’s inauguration and with the establishment of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Cohen announced the “DOGE vs. Blob” initiative.
“Pentagon bureaucrats torch $2 million of taxpayer money every minute. In honor of @DOGE, I’m launching @dogevsblob, a meme contest highlighting the biggest gov’t spender + waster. We’re giving away 1,000 @dogecoin a day. If anyone can slash the Pentagon budget, @elonmusk can. Let’s support him,” Cohen wrote.
Pentagon bureaucrats torch $2 million of taxpayer money every minute. In honor of @DOGE, I'm launching @dogevsblob, a meme contest highlighting the biggest gov't spender + waster. We're giving away 1,000 @dogecoin a day. If anyone can slash the Pentagon budget, @elonmusk can.… pic.twitter.com/aHPiaiOU0f
— Ben Cohen (@YoBenCohen) January 20, 2025
Cohen noted that Americans could enter up to nine times a day for the next 100 days after inauguration day and that the best two memes will win a grand prize of 10,000 Dogecoin each.
New day, new opportunity. Submit your best memes about @doge slashing Pentagon waste at https://t.co/GDpecuUGKO for your chance to win $doge and make America great.
— Ben Cohen (@YoBenCohen) January 26, 2025
“Unelected bureaucrats in Washington are torching $2 million of taxpayer money every minute — fueling endless wars, lining their pockets, and drowning the nation deeper into debt. Over $6 trillion has gone to disastrous war efforts, malfunctioning weapons systems, and crony contracts. That ends now,” the Doge vs. Blob website states.
“Elon created DOGE to take down the Pentagon’s bloated budget, nicknamed the Blob for its uncontrollable sprawl. Join the coalition of Blob slayers by spreading facts that inform, shock, and move the needle on Washington’s most wasteful farce — and stack some dogecoin while you’re at it,” the website continued.
Cohen, in a statement to Fox Business, highlighted the bipartisan interest in reining in wasteful spending.
“I’m supporting an issue and I’m happy to work together with anyone else who supports that issue… I think the key to get anything done in the country is to work with people of any political persuasion where you have common ground. And that’s what I’m looking to do,” he said.
WATCH — Ramaswamy: Over Half Trillion Dollars Being Spent by U.S. Government without Congressional Approval:
Cohen is not the only progressive to back the DOGE initiative. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in December also voiced support to cut wasteful spending at the Pentagon.
“Elon Musk is right. The Pentagon, with a budget of $886 billion, just failed its 7th audit in a row. It’s lost track of billions. Last year, only 13 senators voted against the Military Industrial Complex and a defense budget full of waste and fraud. That must change,” Sanders said.
There is plenty of room for DOGE and lawmakers to find waste, fraud, and abuse in the Department of Defense; the Pentagon last November failed its seventh audit in a row. The DOD was unable to fully account for its $824 billion budget.
However, with the confirmation of Pete Hegseth to become Defense Secretary, there is more momentum than ever to streamline the department.During his confirmation hearing, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) pressed Hegseth to commit to a clean audit of the DOD by 2028, to which Hegseth said he has long supported a thorough audit of the Pentagon.
“An audit is an issue of national security, and frankly, respect to American taxpayers. We give over $850 billion over to the Defense Department and we expect that we’d know where that money goes,” Hegseth said, noting that he wrote an op-ed in 2013 calling for audit of the Pentagon.
“You have my word it will be a priority,” added.
Sean Moran is a policy reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on X @SeanMoran3.
