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The $174 billion in extra Pentagon funds that Trump is asking for is more than double what Congress passed in 2018. (Photo: U.S. Air Force/Madelyn Brown)
Trump's $174 Billion Budget Lie
Trump tells us we can't afford PBS funding or preserve affordable housing, but his budget doesn't have any trouble finding billions of dollars for the endlessly expanding Pentagon budget
Mar 20, 2019
Over the past week, the Trump administration put out their proposal for the federal budget for fiscal year 2020, which starts in October of this year.
With this budget, Trump is trying to have his cake and eat it too: he wants to claim that he's adhering to strict spending limits favored by deficit hawks in his party, but there's just one problem.
His budget leaves a spare $174 billion in extra Pentagon lying around in plain sight, while claiming that it doesn't count toward spending limits.
This isn't a new trick. Congress has been passing extra money to the Pentagon in just this way for years.
But the Trump administration is taking it even further. The $174 billion in extra funds that Trump is asking for is more than double what Congress passed last year.
If Trump pretends that the Pentagon is also subject to strict spending limits, he can argue that his more than $50 billion in cuts to programs like the Environmental Protection Agency and Legal Aid are honest attempts to control federal spending.
This is a next-level budget lie. While team Trump tells us we can't afford to continue the Corporation for Public Broadcasting or preserve affordable housing, they don't seem to have any trouble finding billions of dollars to add the nation's nearly $6 trillion bill for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
So, next time you hear someone say we can't afford big investments in our country, you can counter with the story of Trump and his $174 billion lie.
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This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Copyright © 2023 National Priorities Project / Institute for Policy Studies
Lindsay Koshgarian
Lindsay Koshgarian directs the National Priorities Project at the Institute for Policy Studies.
Over the past week, the Trump administration put out their proposal for the federal budget for fiscal year 2020, which starts in October of this year.
With this budget, Trump is trying to have his cake and eat it too: he wants to claim that he's adhering to strict spending limits favored by deficit hawks in his party, but there's just one problem.
His budget leaves a spare $174 billion in extra Pentagon lying around in plain sight, while claiming that it doesn't count toward spending limits.
This isn't a new trick. Congress has been passing extra money to the Pentagon in just this way for years.
But the Trump administration is taking it even further. The $174 billion in extra funds that Trump is asking for is more than double what Congress passed last year.
If Trump pretends that the Pentagon is also subject to strict spending limits, he can argue that his more than $50 billion in cuts to programs like the Environmental Protection Agency and Legal Aid are honest attempts to control federal spending.
This is a next-level budget lie. While team Trump tells us we can't afford to continue the Corporation for Public Broadcasting or preserve affordable housing, they don't seem to have any trouble finding billions of dollars to add the nation's nearly $6 trillion bill for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
So, next time you hear someone say we can't afford big investments in our country, you can counter with the story of Trump and his $174 billion lie.
Lindsay Koshgarian
Lindsay Koshgarian directs the National Priorities Project at the Institute for Policy Studies.
Over the past week, the Trump administration put out their proposal for the federal budget for fiscal year 2020, which starts in October of this year.
With this budget, Trump is trying to have his cake and eat it too: he wants to claim that he's adhering to strict spending limits favored by deficit hawks in his party, but there's just one problem.
His budget leaves a spare $174 billion in extra Pentagon lying around in plain sight, while claiming that it doesn't count toward spending limits.
This isn't a new trick. Congress has been passing extra money to the Pentagon in just this way for years.
But the Trump administration is taking it even further. The $174 billion in extra funds that Trump is asking for is more than double what Congress passed last year.
If Trump pretends that the Pentagon is also subject to strict spending limits, he can argue that his more than $50 billion in cuts to programs like the Environmental Protection Agency and Legal Aid are honest attempts to control federal spending.
This is a next-level budget lie. While team Trump tells us we can't afford to continue the Corporation for Public Broadcasting or preserve affordable housing, they don't seem to have any trouble finding billions of dollars to add the nation's nearly $6 trillion bill for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
So, next time you hear someone say we can't afford big investments in our country, you can counter with the story of Trump and his $174 billion lie.
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