The Federal Government Just Posted the Largest Annual Budget Deficit Since COVID

Reason ^ | Oct. 9, 2026 | Eric Boehm

[GrootheWanderer]

That spending increase was primarily driven by entitlement programs, the military, and interest payments on the national debt. The CBO notes that Social Security spending increased by 5 percent last year due to "increases in average benefits and in the number of beneficiaries." There was an 8 percent increase in spending on both Medicare and Medicaid, while military spending increased by 5 percent.

---

TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; News/Current Events; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: debt; deficit; dnctroll; economy; government; spootheblunderer; tds; tdspos; theteedeeess

[GrootheWanderer]

Tax revenue increased by about 3 percent last year, but spending increased twice as fast. And interest payments on the debt cost more than $1.1 trillion

[JSM_Liberty]

“”Seniors are receiving far more in benefits than they paid in payroll taxes. America’s leaders should stop pretending otherwise.””

Anyone who runs on a “seniors should get less social security” platform will not do well.

[dpetty121263]

Well this sounds just peachy!

[sphinx]

If we don’t face up to the math, we will go bankrupt.

We can’t inflate or hyperinflate our way out of this because entitlements are all indexed.

[Nervous Tick]

>> Anyone who runs on a “seniors should get less social security” platform will not do well.

They can have my SS when they pry it out of my cold, dead fingers. (But that day SHALL come! LOL.)

[PeterPrinciple]

“”Seniors are receiving far more in benefits than they paid in payroll taxes. America’s leaders should stop pretending otherwise.””

---

The reality is that many of us received a bigger inheritance from our parents because of SS.........................

or we paid less to support them in their old age.

[grame]

I may have paid in less than I gave but that’s because the bozo’s running the fund used it as happy free money so the money I started depositing in SS in 1966 made no interest. I wonder if they had let a civilian company run the fund how much would be mine today.

Getting more than they gave is an irresponsible and uneducated statement.

[Recompennation]

Free bubbleup and rainbow stew, keeps takers voting, yes they do;
Swampers keep the natives happy, it takes a lot, we makers know it’s crappy

[Responsibility2nd]

Unpossible.

We have 1.5 trillion dollars in dividends lying around. Enough to give every American $5,000.

So what is all this foolish talk about budget deficits?

[grobdriver]

Wonder how much of the spending increase is due to fraud?

[T.B. Yoits]

From the article: ...increases in average benefits and in the number of beneficiaries...

Including to illegal alien invaders.

[know.your.why]

Seniors are receiving far more in benefits than they paid in payroll taxes

Based on what metric? You cant suggest dollar to dollar. Have you taken a look at the price of gold increase over just the last 10 years? Serious now.

[Leaning Right]

> Based on what metric? You can’t suggest dollar to dollar. <

Right. Seniors are being “paid back” with inflated dollars. A dollar that was put in is certainly worth more than a dollar paid out.

[Bayard]

This is why inflation kills nations.

[Fungi]

When first proposed, we were promised the income tax would never be above 3%. Look where we are now. We have a $ 40 TRILLION debt yet we are still going deeper, throwing away money the feds have no right to redistribute. Stop the waste, stop the fraud and balance the budget—the uniparty refuses to do so.

[FlingWingFlyer]

You have to remember. We are having to budget money for Obiden’s “20 million”. This huge deficit isn’t Trump’s deficit. This is Obiden’s deficit. 20 millions screaming, starving foreigners eating at restaurants all over America on the taxpayers’ dime can run up one hell of a tab. When it costs you and your wife THIRTY FIVE BUCKS to eat at Taco Bell or any fast food joint for that matter, it’s not Trump’s fault.

[Vermont Lt]

It’s nice to see the fiscal conservatives running things.

Ha! I am kidding….we have the same bloated folks masquerading as conservatives running things.

Here…have a Trump coin. Run along now…..

[Vermont Lt]

So, the literal baby boom is now almost all at full retirement age and collecting old age benefits?

If only someone could have seen that coming.

[gibsonguy]

If the F’n rats had not blocked any and all attempts to take even a tiny part of the SS money and invest it we would be in a much better place. All that “risky scheme” BS they crank up every time.

[IYAS9YAS]

Wonder how much of the spending increase is due to fraud?

Given all the news stories over the last 18 months, I'd say most of it.