Despite high-profile cutbacks and the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), federal spending has increased 8.7% since President Trump took office compared to the same period in 2024.
The main drivers of this increase are the usual suspects: Social Security, Medicare, other social insurance programs, and interest payments on federal debt.
While some agencies like the Department of Education and USAID show spending declines, these cuts are overshadowed by the growth in mandatory spending programs.
Court orders have also temporarily halted many proposed cuts, limiting DOGE’s immediate impact on the federal budget.