Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

BlueWavePsych

(3,222 posts)
Thu Sep 25, 2025, 06:43 AM Sep 25

Billions in Taxpayer Dollars Have Become Virtually Untraceable

Source: PoliticalWire/ NOTUS

Across federal agencies, the Trump administration’s aggressive slash-and-burn approach to federal programs, grants and contracts has repeatedly challenged Congress’ power of the purse. The administration has claimed it has the discretion to redirect funds to programs aligned with Trump’s agenda — and Republican congressional leaders have largely let them do it.

The outcome: Billions in taxpayer dollars have become virtually untraceable — a level of opaqueness in government funds that’s raising questions around the legality of the administration’s actions. Some of these taxpayer funds expire on Sept. 30. If they’re not spent by then, like all funds Congress appropriated specifically for 2025, they disappear.

NOTUS attempted to trace the money appropriated for more than 100 government programs to understand where taxpayer dollars are going, only to hit dead ends repeatedly. Data is outdated or conflicting, agencies have been vague in their explanations, and in many cases, there’s no publicly available evidence that appropriated money is being spent at all.

The connection between Congress’ decisions and current spending should be obvious — but in many cases today, it’s obscured.


Read more: https://www.notus.org/trump-white-house/billions-taxpayer-dollars-virtually-untraceable-appropriations-trump-omb-russ-vought





Related ...
56 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Billions in Taxpayer Dollars Have Become Virtually Untraceable (Original Post) BlueWavePsych Sep 25 OP
DUH.................. Lovie777 Sep 25 #1
Exactly. (n/t) OldBaldy1701E Sep 25 #11
This! Mr.Bee Sep 25 #24
Makes one wonder how much the regime is skimming. sinkingfeeling Sep 25 #2
Skimming? They are stealing the whole damn thing. Irish_Dem Sep 25 #4
They will steal it and put it in crypto cpamomfromtexas Sep 25 #20
The dump family's cryptos (?) nt Justice matters. Sep 25 #31
Bitcoin. SergeStorms Sep 25 #36
A shell game, yellow dahlia Sep 25 #46
Yes I was thinking the same YD. Irish_Dem Sep 25 #48
Don't have to wonder do we? vapor2 Sep 25 #26
Billions unaccounted for Coldwater Sep 25 #3
The Trump Crime Syndicate is stashing it in untraceable offshore accounts? Irish_Dem Sep 25 #5
It's illegal without proper reporting and adherence to IRS regulations. Coldwater Sep 25 #7
Is there such a thing as "illegal" in Trumpworld? ananda Sep 25 #17
Ha ha. Trump commits ten crimes before breakfast, no one care. Irish_Dem Sep 25 #22
Or all three at once. yellow dahlia Sep 25 #47
You forgot fattening... BattleRow Sep 25 #51
True. But this is the least of his sins. Irish_Dem Sep 26 #54
Touche BattleRow Sep 26 #55
Repaying Deutsche Bank.. rubbersole Sep 25 #16
Trump never pays his debts. He is stiffing everyone while raking in the cash. Irish_Dem Sep 25 #23
We need the GAO. Accountants and auditors will find out where the money went ms liberty Sep 25 #6
There is not enough of them cpamomfromtexas Sep 25 #21
He's FUBARed the country-- fucked up beyond all repair LymphocyteLover Sep 25 #8
feature, not a bug. nt Javaman Sep 25 #9
Well, I just saw an op- Ed on bailing out Argentina. n/t. SonOfNebanaube Sep 25 #10
Yeah, Milei is a mini-tRump. His tRump-like policies are crushing Argentina. . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Sep 25 #14
Remember the financial crises in Asia and Latin America markodochartaigh Sep 25 #12
Why are we paying taxes? Seriously .... FakeNoose Sep 25 #13
It will be the greatest looting of the U.S. Treasury in HISTORY. NoMoreRepugs Sep 25 #15
Not only "will be" - "is"... rubbersole Sep 25 #18
trump had said he was going to inspect it, Bayard Sep 25 #33
I guess James Bond doesn't count...🫠 rubbersole Sep 25 #35
How synchronistic that lootin' and Putin rhyme. BattleRow Sep 25 #52
This is what happens when you elect a finacial fraud felon mdbl Sep 25 #19
Lost in the world of crypto, never to be retrieved again. n/t aggiesal Sep 25 #25
I'm not so sure about that kind of stuff (sarcasm) but, the real problem is this.. chouchou Sep 25 #27
I have to wonder whether this is related to Hegseth's emergency meeting with top generals. Qutzupalotl Sep 25 #28
HCR today dweller Sep 25 #29
How much you wanna bet the DOGE kiddies have the $$$$? Moostache Sep 25 #30
The silence from the Democrats is DEAFENING Owens Sep 25 #32
Imagine that... dlk Sep 25 #34
he can't die soon enough. pansypoo53219 Sep 25 #37
Ah, DOGE working as intended SmittyWerben Sep 25 #38
That is one depressing article progressoid Sep 25 #39
Embezzling is an indictable offense. (NT) The Wizard Sep 25 #40
So TSF's scam is working as intended. WestMichRad Sep 25 #41
So no bailouts for the farmers, because its all been stolen Clouds Passing Sep 25 #42
Kick orangecrush Sep 25 #43
I'm confident our president is managing it responsibly JoseBalow Sep 25 #44
The Cartel hasn't repeatedly challenged Congress' power of the purse. Autumn Sep 25 #45
How to Self DESTRUCT America bluestarone Sep 25 #49
It's not hard ... Beck23 Sep 25 #50
e musk computer geeks joetubes Sep 25 #53
Can we arrest them yet? travelingthrulife Sep 26 #56

yellow dahlia

(3,753 posts)
46. A shell game,
Thu Sep 25, 2025, 06:37 PM
Sep 25

and even more obfuscated by the smoke and mirrors.

Or - is it going to pay down the debt?

Irish_Dem

(77,149 posts)
48. Yes I was thinking the same YD.
Thu Sep 25, 2025, 06:40 PM
Sep 25

Ponzi scheme of mass proportions.
The entire US budget, assets, revenue.

I wonder if there will be anything left when Trump is done with us.

Coldwater

(484 posts)
7. It's illegal without proper reporting and adherence to IRS regulations.
Thu Sep 25, 2025, 07:17 AM
Sep 25

As if the IRS would go after trump ~ sigh

Irish_Dem

(77,149 posts)
22. Ha ha. Trump commits ten crimes before breakfast, no one care.
Thu Sep 25, 2025, 09:30 AM
Sep 25

Every single thing he does is either illegal, immoral, or unethical.

ms liberty

(10,755 posts)
6. We need the GAO. Accountants and auditors will find out where the money went
Thu Sep 25, 2025, 07:13 AM
Sep 25

Then we should figure out how to take it back. Maybe we should have some trials, named after something, something that sounds properly serious and weighty - you know, something like Nuremburg.
F*cking grifters.

cpamomfromtexas

(1,452 posts)
21. There is not enough of them
Thu Sep 25, 2025, 09:19 AM
Sep 25

I was the military version of them. We would work with them periodically.

markodochartaigh

(4,544 posts)
12. Remember the financial crises in Asia and Latin America
Thu Sep 25, 2025, 08:05 AM
Sep 25

in the 90's and 00's? Remember what the pundits said were the root causes of those crises? Corruption and lack of transparency.

Well, don't worry. "It Can't Happen Here."

FakeNoose

(39,228 posts)
13. Why are we paying taxes? Seriously ....
Thu Sep 25, 2025, 08:10 AM
Sep 25

... there needs to be a large-scale taxpayer revolt in this country.

rubbersole

(10,811 posts)
18. Not only "will be" - "is"...
Thu Sep 25, 2025, 08:33 AM
Sep 25

Has anybody checked Ft. Knox lately? Any accounting of the nation's gold supply? When we find out it was promised to putin if he'd install tsf one more time so he could torment everybody who hurt his fee fees😢💦...

Bayard

(27,624 posts)
33. trump had said he was going to inspect it,
Thu Sep 25, 2025, 01:10 PM
Sep 25

But then never did. Looks like the last president to actually see the gold there was FDR.

mdbl

(7,682 posts)
19. This is what happens when you elect a finacial fraud felon
Thu Sep 25, 2025, 09:09 AM
Sep 25

What did those dumbass voters think they were gettting? Oh yeah, cue Fux Nooze, Noozmacks and all the other morons they listen to.

chouchou

(2,560 posts)
27. I'm not so sure about that kind of stuff (sarcasm) but, the real problem is this..
Thu Sep 25, 2025, 11:09 AM
Sep 25

Just this morning I saw a old lady buy some ice cream with FOOD STAMPS !
that what we half to stopp that kind of waist! I gave her a piece of my mind..for shame..for shame..

Qutzupalotl

(15,583 posts)
28. I have to wonder whether this is related to Hegseth's emergency meeting with top generals.
Thu Sep 25, 2025, 11:32 AM
Sep 25

Last edited Thu Sep 25, 2025, 01:30 PM - Edit history (1)

They are expecting a shutdown, perhaps a long one. Trump is deliberately sandbagging negotiations. They want a crisis. They want a government that doesn't function.

If they have created a slush fund, they could keep paying loyalists and fire everyone else. With military apparently okay to deploy in our streets, we could see a further deterioration of our norms.

dweller

(27,479 posts)
29. HCR today
Thu Sep 25, 2025, 11:42 AM
Sep 25

“Trump administration is “attempting to raid programs that Congress has authorized and appropriated to strengthen democracy, advance peace and support vulnerable communities and instead funnel that money into an unaccountable slush fund.”

link : https://archive.ph/RJ3Uf

from : https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/september-24-2025



✌🏻

Moostache

(10,880 posts)
30. How much you wanna bet the DOGE kiddies have the $$$$?
Thu Sep 25, 2025, 11:45 AM
Sep 25

I bet they are like the thieves in "Goodfellas" buying cars and swag and flashing cash everywhere they go...

SmittyWerben

(829 posts)
38. Ah, DOGE working as intended
Thu Sep 25, 2025, 02:36 PM
Sep 25

All those DOGE youngsters had access to all this information. If accounts are screwed up and money lost there will be no way to trace the funds, and their transfer out, of the country. More millionaires created on the backs of the tax payer with a complicit republican party aiding and abetting the theft.

progressoid

(52,242 posts)
39. That is one depressing article
Thu Sep 25, 2025, 02:37 PM
Sep 25

Most depressing is that the people who voted for this bullshit are the ones who also scream for more accountability.

JoseBalow

(8,868 posts)
44. I'm confident our president is managing it responsibly
Thu Sep 25, 2025, 05:11 PM
Sep 25

and in the best interest of the American people.


Autumn

(48,524 posts)
45. The Cartel hasn't repeatedly challenged Congress' power of the purse.
Thu Sep 25, 2025, 05:25 PM
Sep 25

Republicans happily handed it over to them.

joetubes

(38 posts)
53. e musk computer geeks
Thu Sep 25, 2025, 09:40 PM
Sep 25

WTF do you think all those MUSK computer geek have been doing. Oh ya the were looking for fraud and abuse in the federal budget ? they weren't stealing or making themself billionaires. Musk wouldn't do that he is honest business man like the rump.

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Billions in Taxpayer Doll...