Trump administration is outspending Biden admin despite DOGE efforts

Government data reveals the Trump administration has spent more money in 2025 than the Biden

administration did at the same point last year. The increase comes despite efforts by the Department

of Government Efficiency to find $1 trillion in savings by September 30th. According to the

Hamilton Project, which has a real-time tracker compiled with Treasury Department data, as of

April 11, 2025, the government had spent nearly $2.3 trillion. On the same date in 2024

the government's total outlays were $2.15 trillion. The federal government is currently

operating on a continuing resolution, meaning this year's budget is pretty much a copy and

paste of last year's. The higher spending can be attributed in part to cost increases for programs

like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and additional interest payments on the national debt

In fact, approximately 73% of the government's yearly expenditures are mandatory, or spending that's required by law for government benefits and debt payments

Just 27 is discretionary meaning Congress can change the amount it spends each year on things like border security or the space program in other words things that are considered more political According to Doge tracker which has been known to inflate the actual amount the department has saved taxpayers

$155 billion through asset sales, contract cancellations, layoffs, and fraud elimination. At a recent cabinet meeting, Elon Musk appeared to drastically reduce Doge's stated goal of $1

trillion in savings to $150 billion in savings for fiscal year 2026

I'm excited to announce that we anticipate savings in FY26 from reduction of waste and

fraud by $150 billion. And some of it is just absurd, like people getting unemployment insurance

who haven't been born yet. Musk is a special government employee, which means by law he can

only be employed by the executive branch for 130 days and a 365-day period

If his employment remains continuous, that means he has to step down at the end of May

President Trump told Musk he hopes Doge employees will stick around and maybe become permanent

I'm Ray Bogan for Straight Hour News. For more reporting, download the SAN app