The departing year of 2025 proved to be one of stark contrasts for the United States: Donald Trump’s return to the White House with pledges of radical spending cuts, the introduction of protectionist tariffs, and bureaucracy reduction; vigorous economic growth (GDP accelerated to 4.3% in the third quarter, exceeding forecasts); yet alongside this, a record national debt approaching $40 trillion and ongoing federal budget wastefulness. In late December, as per tradition, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul released his annual “Festivus Report”—a sharp, “festive” exposé on wasteful taxpayer spending. The name references the anti-commercial holiday from the TV series Seinfeld, where the main ritual is the “Airing of Grievances.” This marks Paul’s eleventh such report, and in 2025, it documented a record sum: over $1.639 trillion in government waste.
The bulk of this astronomical figure falls on interest payments on the national debt: in fiscal year 2025, a record $1.22 trillion was spent on this—already the third-largest budget item after Social Security and Medicare. The senator emphasizes that Congress raised the debt ceiling by $5 trillion—the largest increase in history—while the debt grows by billions daily. Despite Republicans returning to power and Trump’s initiatives to cancel portions of foreign aid ($5 billion), as well as the launch of the Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, radical cuts did not materialize. Paul praises these steps but calls them “a drop in the ocean” against the systemic problem.
The remaining hundreds of billions consist of specific examples of absurd or controversial projects. The report draws on data from organizations like the White Coat Waste Project and official agencies. Paul pays particular attention to animal experiments: $1.079 million from the Department of Veterans Affairs to force adolescent ferrets into binge drinking to model alcoholism; $5.215 million from NIH for injecting cocaine into beagle puppies; $13.8 million for infecting dogs with ticks; $14.643 million for experiments where monkeys have their heads restrained and are forced to play gambling video games. Among others: $54 million on coronavirus research in bats, including collaboration with labs in Wuhan; $2.1 million for collecting saliva at raves to analyze drugs; millions on influencer campaigns and promoting insects as food.
These expenditures became symbolic of a year when Trump imposed 10% tariffs on imports from nearly all countries (with higher rates for “worst offenders,” like China at 104%), promised energy independence and deregulation (the rule: one new regulation requires canceling ten old ones), yet the budget deficit remained enormous—around $1.8 trillion for the fiscal year. Paul views the report as a call for accountability: even under the new administration, politicians continue “throwing money around,” while Americans pay for it through inflation and debt. He proposes his own plan for cuts to balance the budget.
Overall, summing up 2025—with its trade wars, unexpected economic boom defying gloomy predictions, ongoing conflicts, and climate concerns—Rand Paul’s “Festivus” report best illustrates just how difficult it is to fulfill promises of strict austerity. Washington’s spending machine continues by inertia, pouring billions into things that seem utterly absurd to the average person. The full document is available on the senator’s website, and each year it sparks heated debates: for some, it’s just sarcasm; for many Americans, it’s a real signal that their taxes are funding projects that make one’s hair stand on end. Happy Festivus to all—and may 2026 finally bring genuine cuts, not just talk!
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