If only they were as big as the list of new spending.
—
InhisspeechtobothchambersofCongresstonight,PresidentDonaldTrumprattledoffalistofspeciousgrantsallegedlyuncoveredbyhisnewfoundDepartmentofGovernmentEfficiency(DOGE).
“Twenty-twobilliondollarsfrom[theDepartmentofHealthandHumanServices(HHS)]toprovidefreehousingandcarstoillegalaliens,”saidTrumpfromthepodiumtonight,apparentlyreferencingmultipleyearsofspendingbyHHS’OfficeofRefugeeResettlement,asdetailedinarecentreportfromOpenTheBooks.
Thepresidentalsolistedanumberofotherdubiousforeignaidgrants,including$45millionfordiversity,equity,andinclusionscholarshipsinBurma,$8millionforLGBTQIprogramsinLesotho(“whichnoonehaseverheardof”),and$40milliontoimprovethesocialandeconomicinclusionofsedentarymigrants(agrantTrumphasrepeatedlyreferencedinpastremarks).
Inthosebrief,fleetingmoments,Trump’sspeechamountedtothemostlibertarian(not)StateoftheUnionaddressonecouldhopefor:apresidentjustrattlingoffwastefulspendingtobecutinthe
