All articles tagged with #government spending
America's national debt has surged past $40 trillion as chronic deficits keep the government borrowing, and a bond-market sell-off signals higher borrowing costs ahead; with political will fractured, lawmakers face unpalatable choices on taxes and spending as elections loom, raising fears of a debt spiral if reforms stall.
The U.S. national debt is expected to top $40 trillion this week, several months ahead of forecasts, driven in part by lost revenue from President Trump’s invalidated tariffs, and signaling an earlier debt-ceiling fight.
Senate Democrats, led by Schumer, urge a Government Accountability Office audit of White House East Wing/ballroom spending, citing concerns about transparency and stewardship. The D.C. Circuit Court ruling could require congressional approval for the ballroom, foreshadowing a potential Supreme Court fight. The Washington Post reported roughly $927 million in White House campus spending, largely funded by taxpayers, with the White House saying public dollars cover security while the ballroom itself would be privately funded.
The Washington Post reports the Trump administration plans to spend at least $900 million on White House renovations, a price tag far larger than previously disclosed and largely paid by taxpayers, with records suggesting funds were redirected from other agencies; a federal court ruling requiring congressional approval for the East Wing ballroom could trigger a Supreme Court fight while security upgrades and modernization proceed.
Documents indicate the US is considering a multi-hundred-million-dollar, global increase in anti-China spending to expand diplomatic, economic, and security initiatives against Beijing across multiple regions.
A Republican senator blocked Democrats’ bid to bar the Defense Department from spending on retrofit work for a Qatar-gifted Boeing 747-800 that’s been modified to serve as Air Force One. Democrats led by Schumer argued the upgrades raise ethical and security concerns, but Sen. Deb Fischer argued the bill would hinder presidential safety in a nuclear scenario and could constrain other presidential aircraft, effectively defeating the unanimous-consent attempt.
The House passed a clean stopgap funding bill to extend federal operations through Dec. 4 in a largely party-line 220-205 vote, aiming to avert a September funding lapse and pressure Senate Democrats while avoiding new policy riders. The measure moves to the Senate, where leaders are weighing a version with White House anomalies or a separate reconciliation path, and Democrats criticized the move as bypassing bipartisan negotiations. The broader update batch also highlights Cornyn threatening to block ambassadors over AIDS funding, Rep. Cleo Fields’ decision not to seek reelection, and forthcoming Senate debates on related funding and governance issues.
The Pentagon faces an urgent budget shortfall caused by the Iran war, with key funding lines set to run dry within weeks. President Trump is pressing for about $67 billion from Congress, but lawmakers are divided, forcing the Defense Department to reallocate funds while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth seeks swift congressional approval to cover urgent needs.
House Speaker Mike Johnson aims to move a stopgap funding bill to avert a government shutdown and a $95 billion package for the Pentagon, farmers, and election security before August recess, but intra-party divisions and Trump-aligned voting restrictions complicate passage ahead of the November midterms.
Democrats on House and Senate Judiciary panels are pressing FBI Director Kash Patel for records on personal use of FBI aircraft and related travel perks, while Grassley requests details on flights and the FBI-ordered BMW vehicle purchases; Patel insists all travel expenses were reimbursed per law and policy, but Democrats cite past incidents (VIP Hawaii snorkeling, helicopter tours, jet-skiing) as evidence of potential misuse and call for an independent review, with Republicans and Democrats alike seeking accountability for how taxpayer resources are being used.
Michigan is spending $37.5 million to reduce SNAP payment errors (FY2024 error rate about 9.53%, FY2025 9.89%), aiming for the 6% federal target to avoid a potential $300 million penalty in FY2028. Funds are allocated to an ad campaign, IT upgrades, staffing, and a McKinsey contract, though the state has not shared SNAP data with the federal government; MDHHS leadership is also undergoing a change, with Elizabeth Hertel leaving and Amy Epkey set to replace her.
An exclusive Washington Post report shows an internal contractor estimate of about $600 million to rebuild the East Wing into a large ballroom and bunker, with taxpayers funding more than half of the cost, contradicting Trump’s public claims that private donors would cover all costs and that no taxpayer money would be spent.
Algae blooms reappear in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool after its multimillion-dollar renovation, which officials attribute to residual startup issues from eight weeks of construction and the new nanobubbling filtration system; the project cost far more than the initial $1.5 million estimate cited by Trump, part of a broader capital-upgrade push in Washington, DC.
Hundreds of Indonesian students rallied in Jakarta to protest President Prabowo Subianto’s spending priorities and this week’s gasoline price rise, naming the protest “Heading to Bankrupt Indonesia.” They demanded five points: cancel Prabowo’s flagship free meals and village-cooperatives programs, lower fuel and staple-food prices, and end “wasteful” spending. The government defended subsidies and the free meals program as public-health measures and said the protests are democratic, while critics fear expanded military roles could threaten democracy; protesters cited concerns about governance and potential fiscal strain on subsidies amid higher oil prices.
The Justice Department paused the nearly $1.8 billion payout fund after a court order, and Republican lawmakers are pressing the White House to abandon the plan amid bipartisan backlash, signaling a broader pullback on the effort.