By [Your Name] | CBS News Analysis | Updated May 2025

President Donald Trump is back in the White House—and so is a steep rise in federal spending. According to a recent CBS News analysis, government expenditures have jumped $220 billion compared to the same period in 2024.

This surge comes despite Trump’s repeated campaign promises to slash government costs and eliminate what he calls “wasteful spending.”

💸 Where’s All That Money Going?

Much of the increased spending is tied up in major federal programs and policy priorities. Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Medicare & Social Security: Entitlement programs continue to grow with an aging population.

• Military & Veterans’ Affairs: Expanded defense contracts and support programs remain a top spending category.

• Interest on National Debt: As rates rise, so do the costs of servicing the country’s growing debt.

• Agricultural Subsidies: A Trump-era push to support rural America comes with a big price tag.

• Immigration Enforcement: Deportation efforts have intensified—with 350 flights already conducted, each costing up to $27,000 an hour. The total annual program cost could hit $88 billion.

🏛️ Fewer Workers, Higher Costs

While spending is up, staffing is down. The Trump administration has dramatically cut the number of federal workers in departments like Education and the EPA. The aim? Streamlining operations and cutting so-called “bureaucratic fat.”

Trump’s newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—helmed by none other than tech mogul Elon Musk—claims to have saved $170 billion through automation and efficiency reforms.

But there’s a catch: independent auditors haven’t confirmed those savings.

🔁 Rhetoric vs. Reality

Despite aggressive messaging around fiscal restraint, the data tells a different story.

“They promised to shrink the government, but spending is doing the opposite,” said one policy analyst.

The White House maintains that the current spike in spending is temporary and part of a broader strategy that will yield long-term savings. But experts—and critics—are asking whether those savings will ever materialize.

⚖️ What’s Next?

As Trump’s new term unfolds, the tension between campaign promises and actual budget numbers is only getting sharper. With 2026 midterms on the horizon, expect spending—and scrutiny—to remain front and center.

Whether Trump’s cost-cutting vision can match reality is still up for debate. What’s clear for now: the price of running the government is going up, not down.