Dem gov says MD, with $3 billion deficit, has been implementing DOGE ‘before anyone understood what [it] was’

Maryland Democratic Gov. Wes Moore, whose tenure predates the second Trump administration by two years, claimed that he began engaging in DOGE-style governance shortly after Republican Gov. Larry Hogan Jr. resigned in 2023.

Moore, a purported 2028 presidential candidate who has sought to silence such talk in favor of a possible second term, spoke with news outlet Semafor about potential parallels between his work and that of the Trump administration.

Editor Ben Smith asked Moore about addressing “fiscal burden[s]” within the Annapolis bureaucracy in a manner similar to the federal DOGE, as well as discussing solutions to Maryland’s $3 billion budget deficit—an issue on which Republicans and Democrats blame each other.

“I am from the business world. And I believe that in this moment, we must consider what type of [public] workforce is necessary and required,” Moore said, noting that when he took office, there were 10,000 vacancies in Annapolis and many “basic functions” were not being performed.

Moore stated that, while some politicians may want to immediately hire 10,000 people, he saw this as an opportunity to “right-size” the government and eliminate waste.

“One of my first hires was a chief performance officer. Moore stated, “We’ve been doing DOGE in Maryland long before anyone knew what that word meant.”

In previous comments to Fox News Digital, the Moore administration stated its willingness to work with Trump and the White House when possible, but emphasized its commitment to protecting Marylanders, particularly given how DOGE’s federal workforce cuts will disproportionately affect the Old Line State.

Moore had hired an Irish consulting mega-firm to be Annapolis’ eyes and ears on the White House, which was only 35 miles west.

“Where there is common ground to be found, he will find it,” a Moore spokesman said in response to allegations that the Irish contract foreshadowed a confrontational relationship with their new neighbors.

Moore told Smith that Maryland is so inextricably tied to the federal government that “when the country catches a cold, the DMV [DC-MD-VA] catches pneumonia.”

Moore also stated that his 2025 budget is smaller than his 2024 budget, and he recently disputed Hogan’s claim that he left a surplus for his successor, which was squandered into a $3 billion deficit.

Hogan stated in a recent social media post that he left Moore with a $5 billion surplus, which he hoped would not be wasted.

Moore claims that some of the “surplus” was misclassified as leftover COVID-19 funds, which are not structural in nature.

At the end of his term, Hogan also issued a set of budget recommendations for the new administration to consider, which Democrats in Annapolis interpreted as pitches for future “priority items” that they deemed fiscally reckless.

In that regard, a Moore spokesman told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that the Democrat is still focused on DOGE-ing Annapolis, despite the $3 billion deficit.

“While it’s clear the governor inherited an economic flatline, he is committed to growing Maryland’s economy by reducing waste, investing in working Marylanders, industries of the future, and businesses across the state,” according to the spokesperson.

“The governor’s new government modernization initiative will cut real waste, and save taxpayers money—something Governor Moore believes DOGE and even other states can learn from.”

Maryland House Minority Leader Jason Buckel (R-Cumberland) disagreed.

“It’s not very credible to claim that we’ve been cutting the size and scope of Maryland government and rooting out fraud and waste when you look at our budget chock-full of new hires and increased spending, balanced only by massive tax increases proposed by Governor Moore and Democrats in Annapolis,” Mr. Buckel said.

Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey, R-Chestertown, told Fox News Digital that Marylanders are “still waiting” for Moore’s promised efforts to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse at DOGE.

“There are claims of saving $50 million, but so far, there’s been no data to prove his performance cabinet has made government more efficient or saved taxpayers money,” Hershey told the newspaper.

“Governor Moore appears unwilling to make difficult decisions and stand up to control state spending. His thinly veiled promise not to support the new business-to-business service tax fell flat.

Hershey claimed Moore did not consider a statewide hiring freeze to help with the deficit, instead hiring more bureaucrats and risking future furloughs.

“Since taking office, his administrative departments have been plagued by atrocious audits, with hundreds of millions of dollars mismanaged and misspent. “We are still waiting to see the necessary course corrections,” Hershey stated.

Meanwhile, Moore predicts that Maryland will save $50 million by FY-2026 through “government modernization” and reinvestment of resources in top state priorities.

A Moore spokesman claimed that previous Republican leadership was to blame for Maryland’s reported economic underperformance, citing a 3% growth rate for the state between 2017 and 2022—compared to the national average of 11%.

Fox News Digital has reached out to DOGE leaders in Congress and the White House for comment.

White House spokesperson Liz Huston responded to Moore’s claim on Tuesday, saying, “President Trump led the charge to make government more efficient, and all state leaders should want to end waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars.”

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