Washington, D.C. – In a shocking display of fiscal responsibility, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has uncovered and stopped a $2.6 million annual payment to former President Barack Obama—a fee he was allegedly receiving as royalties for the government using his name in “Obamacare.”

According to investigators, a little-known clause buried deep in the Affordable Care Act’s legal fine print entitled Obama to a small percentage of every time someone referred to the program by its popular nickname.

“Honestly, we thought it was a joke,” said DOGE Director Rufus Clapp, shaking his head. “But then we found the payments—direct deposits marked ‘Thanks for the branding, champ.’”

When pressed for comment, Obama seemed unfazed. “Look, I never asked for this. The Republicans called it ‘Obamacare’ as an insult, and next thing I know, I’m getting residual checks. Who am I to turn down free money?”

The discovery has sparked outrage among budget-conscious lawmakers. “This is exactly the kind of waste that’s bankrupting America,” said one senator, conveniently ignoring the $8 billion in annual subsidies for a defense contractor that makes paper clips.

Obama’s legal team insists the payments were legitimate, citing a secret bipartisan agreement in which Mitt Romney was allegedly offered a $500,000-a-year deal if the program had been called “Romneycare” instead.

Despite fierce resistance from lobbyists in the Presidential Branding & Merchandising industry, DOGE has confirmed that the payments have officially been stopped.

However, sources inside the White House report that Obama is already negotiating a new deal, seeking royalties from Biden every time someone says, “This is just like Obama’s third term.”