Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) released on Dec. 24 his annual “Festivus” list of wasteful government spending in the past year.
Paul highlighted more than $1 trillion in wasteful spending that included $10 billion on leasing, maintaining, and furnishing almost entirely empty buildings; $4.8 million on influencers; $2.1 million for Paraguayan border security; a $12 million Las Vegas pickleball complex; and $32,596 on breakdancing.
It also consisted of $345,434 on football engagement to counter terrorism; a $700 million COVID pandemic-era loan to a failed trucking company; and $10,000 for an ice skate cabaret show centered on climate change.
“Who’s to blame for our crushing national debt? Everybody,” Paul said.
The national debt is more than $36 trillion.
“This year, members of both political parties in Congress voted for massive spending bills filled with subsidies for underperforming industries, continued military aid to Ukraine, and controversial climate initiatives,” Paul said. “As Congress spends to reward its favored pet projects, the American taxpayers are forced to pay through high prices and crippling interest rates.”
The incoming Trump administration will have an outside group called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, to advise the White House on cutting wasteful spending and regulations in the federal government.
“As always, taking the path to fiscal responsibility is often a lonely journey, but I’ve been fighting government waste like DOGE before DOGE was cool. And I will continue my fight against government waste this holiday season,” Paul said.
While he has yet to comment on the report itself, Musk highlighted Paul’s work by sharing posts about it on X.
