In response to the protests from around 7 million people against his presidency, President Trump stated, he doesn’t see himself as a king. Nevertheless, his lifestyle suggests otherwise, burdening the middle-class Americans who supported him in ways both financial and otherwise.
The Environmentally Responsible Public Employees organization highlights some of Trump’s extravagant spending just four months into his term. It includes around $500 million on “vanity projects” such as military parades, a statue garden, enhancements to Air Force One, gold-plating the Oval Office, and more. Additionally, he allocated $1.7 million for new furniture and equipment in the White House.
The military parade alone set back the U.S. military by $30 million, not to mention the costs for security and street repairs. Looking ahead, Trump is planning what he touts as an “amazing birthday party” to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence next July with a projected cost of at least $100 million. As part of this event, he plans to reveal the National Garden of American Heroes featuring 250 life-sized statues of yet-to-be-identified figures, which will cost about $34 million.
According to a golf tracker website, Trump has dedicated 25% of his presidential time to golfing, costing taxpayers approximately $98 million. All of this may bring his golf-related expenses to around $150 million for his first term.
Federal records reveal that within the first few months of his latest term, the Secret Service cost $100,000 across 129 visits to his properties. During his first term, spending on Trump properties approached nearly $2 million. There’s a conversation to be had about whether his business should gain from such necessary protection.
What’s particularly alarming is Trump’s deployment of troops to Democratic-controlled cities. This move is viewed by many as an expensive authoritarian stunt costing hundreds of millions of dollars for each city.
In a close second, Trump intends to construct a $300 million gilded ballroom that expands the White House by 90,000 square feet, adding 1,000 seats. Although taxpayers won’t finance the building, they will bear the costs of the exquisite dinners and events hosted there for dignitaries, funded through public means.
While all of this occurs, the national debt recently surged to an unprecedented $38 trillion. According to the Government Accountability Office, this spike will lead to higher mortgage and car rates, declining wages, and escalated prices for goods and services.
Trump’s budget proposal could add $3.4 trillion to the national debt over the next decade, affecting health insurance for millions of Americans. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) claims the plan will benefit “hardworking Americans,” but experts point out that it favors wealthy individuals and corporations at the expense of many working families.
Currently, under the continuing resolution from House Republicans, average health insurance premiums are set to rise 114 percent for countless Americans. Trump’s administration has reportedly been dismantling federal programs that aid the underprivileged—often labeled as “Democrat-oriented.”
As rising tariffs continue to boost living costs, analysts estimate that tariffs will add an additional $1.2 trillion to costs for U.S. businesses this year, mostly impacting consumers who end up paying approximately $592 billion through increased prices.
Additionally, the administration laid off 12 percent of the federal workforce or about 300,000 employees recently. More than 4,100 have been affected since a government shutdown started. Due to rising economic uncertainty, many civil servants are struggling to find new work.
Trump plays down these developments, recently sharing an image of budget director Russ Vought depicted as a “god of death.” Vought mentioned that job cuts could reach “north of 10,000.”
William S. Beckeris a co-editor and contributor to Democracy Unchained: How to Rebuild Government for the People and has written for Democracy in a Hotter Time. Previously, he worked as a senior official in the Wisconsin Department of Justice and is now the executive director of the Presidential Climate Action Project, a nonpartisan climate policy organization.
