Free Republic

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.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio furiously shut down media questions about explosive new allegations against U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle on Thursday, while Guilfoyle herself stood nearby as he prepared to leave Athens. As he stood before reporters, Rubio was pressed over a new Wall Street Journal report alleging Guilfoyle asked Trump donor Eric Deters to cover a $100,000 credit card bill shortly before her Senate confirmation hearing and offered access to administration officials in return. The secretary of state, however, made clear he had no intention of addressing the report on the tarmac when grilled by reporters, instead...

President Donald Trump said Friday that Russia will supply millions of tons of diesel to the global market under a deal he struck with President Vladimir Putin. Russia will immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel, followed by 500,000 tons in November, and 1 million tons immediately thereafter, Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Moscow will then deliver another 3 million tons of diesel based on the condition of Russia’s refineries, Trump said. Diesel prices have surged around the world as Ukraine has pounded Russian refineries, forcing Moscow to ban diesel exports to the global market. Iran...

The U.S. military is preparing for the possibility of sustained, weeks-long operations against Iran if President Donald Trump orders an attack, two U.S. officials told Reuters, in what could become a far more serious conflict than previously seen between the countries. The disclosure by the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the planning, raises the stakes for the diplomacy underway between the United States and Iran. U.S. and Iranian diplomats held talks in Oman last week in an effort to revive diplomacy over Tehran's nuclear program, after Trump amassed military forces in the...