A mysterious tech expert who claimed that over $100 billion in taxpayer money is being stolen or wasted has revealed her identity after being doxxed. The woman, who previously went by the online alias “DataRepublican”, has been a vocal critic of government inefficiency and has drawn the attention of Elon Musk, who has repeatedly engaged with her posts.
In a dramatic post on Twitter, she announced, “I have been doxxed. Rather than let others control the narrative, I am addressing this directly.”
Her real name? Jennica Pounds.
The woman behind ‘DataRepublican’
Pounds, a Deaf and nonverbal tech expert, revealed that she recently resigned from her job to dedicate herself full-time to government efficiency efforts linked to the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—a program launched last month under Donald Trump’s administration, with Elon Musk as its head.
She claims her journey began as a simple data-driven analysis of government spending, but what she uncovered led her to a startling conclusion: an unprecedented amount of taxpayer money was being funneled away through inefficiencies, fraud, and wasteful contracts.
The revelation, she says, changed the course of her life.
“I gave up everything for this—my safety, my career—because I believe in what I am doing,” she wrote.
Explosive claims about wasted taxpayer money
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has already claimed to have saved $65 billion since its launch in late January. The agency aims to cut federal waste by $1 trillion, using methods such as fraud detection, contract cancellations, asset sales, and regulatory changes.
However, Pounds insists that the real figure could be far worse than reported. In a recent interview with NewsNation’s Brian Entin, she estimated that the actual amount of wasted or stolen money could exceed $100 billion annually.
“If I had to guess, I would say it is over $100 billion. But what is more important is what they are doing with that money,” she warned.
Musk’s support and the mystery of their connection
Pounds has gained a massive following, now boasting over 400,000 Twitter followers, thanks in part to Elon Musk’s public support. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO has repeatedly encouraged people to follow her, lending credibility to her claims.
But does she have direct ties to Musk or the DOGE department?
“I don’t communicate directly with Elon,” she admitted. “But he supports my work. I have communicated with some people who are involved with DOGE. I don’t want to say much more than that, but I have a working relationship.”
When asked how Musk first discovered her work, she simply responded:
“Honestly, I don’t know. You’d have to ask him.”
A personal battle and a larger mission
Pounds’ identity reveal also highlighted a deeply personal struggle. She explained that, despite being 100% Deaf and nonverbal, she does not use sign language fluently due to expressive dysphasia, a condition linked to autism that affects real-time language construction.
This has led to criticism from some within the Deaf community, a battle she has long fought.
“Being Deaf is not, and should never be, defined by one’s signing ability, particularly when there are medical conditions involved,” she wrote.
Beyond government efficiency, Pounds is now advocating for Deaf representation in policy-making, pushing for reforms such as a second interpreter camera stream on television broadcasts.
As for what’s next? She remains undeterred.
“This is not about left or right. This is about us—the people.”