BUSINESSES HELD FOR SALE AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS - Financial Information for Discontinued Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
	Feb. 25, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019
Operations
Sales of goods and services		$ 0		$ 5,953	$ 0	$ 12,118
GE Capital revenues and other income (loss)		71		(48)	(5)	(9)
Cost of goods and services sold		0		(4,954)	0	(10,109)
Other income, costs and expenses		(64)		(993)	152	1,863
Earnings (loss) of discontinued operations before income taxes		8		(42)	(157)	137
Benefit (provision) for income taxes		9		261	0	192
Earnings (loss) of discontinued operations, net of taxes				219	(157)	329
Disposal
Gain (loss) on disposal before income taxes		(10)		0	(13)	3,517
Benefit (provision) for income taxes		0		0	0	(964)
Gain (loss) on disposal, net of taxes		(10)		(1)	(13)	2,553
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes		7		219	(171)	2,881
Earnings (loss) of discontinued operations attributable to the Company after income taxes		17		242	(155)	317
Assets
Assets		3,617			3,617		$ 4,109
Liabilities
Liabilities		235			235		203
Baker Hughes disposal group
Operations
Sales of goods and services		0		5,953	0	11,569
GE Capital revenues and other income (loss)		0		0	0	0
Cost of goods and services sold		0		(4,954)	0	(9,631)
Other income, costs and expenses		(3)		(981)	(3)	(1,768)
Earnings (loss) of discontinued operations before income taxes		(3)		18	(3)	170
Benefit (provision) for income taxes		2		(33)	(11)	(116)
Earnings (loss) of discontinued operations, net of taxes		(1)		(15)	(14)	55
Disposal
Gain (loss) on disposal before income taxes		(10)		0	(13)	0
Benefit (provision) for income taxes		0		0	0	0
Gain (loss) on disposal, net of taxes		(10)	$ (8,238)	0	(13)	0
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes		(11)		(15)	(27)	55
Transportation
Operations
Sales of goods and services		0		0	0	549
GE Capital revenues and other income (loss)		0		0	0	0
Cost of goods and services sold		0		0	0	(478)
Other income, costs and expenses		1		3	(3)	(6)
Earnings (loss) of discontinued operations before income taxes		1		3	(3)	65
Benefit (provision) for income taxes		0		(7)	6	(19)
Earnings (loss) of discontinued operations, net of taxes		1		(4)	4	46
Disposal
Gain (loss) on disposal before income taxes		0		0	0	3,471
Benefit (provision) for income taxes		0		0	0	(963)
Gain (loss) on disposal, net of taxes		0		0	0	2,508
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes		1		(4)	4	2,554
GE Capital
Operations
Sales of goods and services		0		0	0	0
GE Capital revenues and other income (loss)		71		(48)	(5)	(9)
Cost of goods and services sold		0		0	0	0
Other income, costs and expenses		(62)		(16)	(146)	(89)
Earnings (loss) of discontinued operations before income taxes		10		(64)	(151)	(98)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes		8		302	4	327
Earnings (loss) of discontinued operations, net of taxes		17		238	(147)	228
Disposal
Gain (loss) on disposal before income taxes		0		0	0	47
Benefit (provision) for income taxes		0		0	0	(2)
Gain (loss) on disposal, net of taxes		0		(1)	0	45
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes		17		$ 238	(147)	$ 273
Discontinued Operations
Assets
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash		477			477		638
Investment securities		91			91		202
Current receivables		61			61		81
Financing receivables held for sale (Polish mortgage portfolio)		2,398			2,398		2,485
Property, plant, and equipment		112			112		123
Deferred income taxes		213			213		264
All other assets		265			265		317
Assets		3,617			3,617		4,109
Liabilities
Accounts payable & Progress collections and deferred income		15			15		40
All other liabilities		220			220		163
Liabilities		235			235		203
Discontinued Operations | Transportation
Disposal
Gain (loss) on disposal before income taxes	$ 3,471
Gain (loss) on disposal, net of taxes	$ 2,508
Discontinued Operations | GE Capital
Assets
Assets		3,462			3,462
Liabilities
Liabilities		84			84
GE Capital Exit Plan | Discontinued Operations
Liabilities
Discontinued operations, intercompany tax receivables		$ 829			$ 829		$ 839