Kathrine Frich
The figures, reported by CBS News, have left many Americans stunned.
The figures, reported by CBS News, have left many Americans stunned.
A Record-Breaking Spending Spree
Despite campaign promises to cut costs, Donald Trump’s return to the Oval Office has already racked up a jaw-dropping $220 billion more in spending than the same period last year under President Biden.
Promises Made, Promises… Reversed?
During his campaign, Trump vowed sweeping cost reductions across government programs.
Yet in practice, his first 100 days have seen the federal budget balloon to levels unseen in a decade, apart from the extraordinary pandemic-era spending in 2021.
Musk at the Helm of Cost-Cutting
In a move that grabbed headlines, Trump appointed tech billionaire Elon Musk as head of the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The department claims to have saved $170 billion through a mix of asset sales, contract terminations, fraud reduction, and regulatory cuts, though none of these claims have been independently verified.
Massive Spending Despite DOGE’s ‘Savings’
While DOGE touts its successes, overall government outlay has surged.
The contradiction between declared savings and actual expenditures is fuelling criticism and confusion.
“So much for the government spending cuts,” one social media commenter remarked bluntly.
Where Is the Money Going?
According to the report, the biggest spending jumps came from Medicare and Social Security, up more than $37 billion over the same period last year.
Other departments seeing steep increases include Defense, Veterans Affairs, Treasury interest payments, and Agriculture.
Cuts for Some, Cash for Others
Trump has slashed funding and workforce numbers in various agencies, most notably, the Department of Education, which is now on the chopping block.
He described the move as trimming “government fat,” insisting it’s about rewarding those who “want to be members of the administration and our country.”
Renaming Oceans, Restructuring Institutions
Among the more headline-grabbing executive orders: renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and introducing legislation to dismantle the Department of Education, both of which have sparked public debate and legal challenges.
Layoffs Hit Hard Across Government Agencies
Large-scale layoffs have swept through numerous departments. Education, energy, and housing offices are reportedly among the hardest hit.
Trump has defended the layoffs as a necessary purge of inefficiency in government.
A Spending Paradox That’s Stirring Public Outrage
Critics argue there’s a deep contradiction between Trump’s rhetoric and the reality of federal spending.
While he claims to be cutting waste, overall outlays suggest a White House spending more freely than ever.
Comparing Biden and Trump: Two Visions, Two Budgets
Under Biden, the same 100-day period saw significantly lower federal expenditure.
With Trump’s current numbers rivaling even pandemic-era spending, questions are mounting about where this fiscal path leads next.
