Donald Trump’s Budget Cuts: Which Social Programs Are at Risk of Sparking an American Crisis?

In recent weeks, proceedings in federal power bodies have been intense as Republicans strive to pass the entirety of Donald Trump’s cost-cutting program. This comprehensive plan is unprecedented for the U.S. economy and has already sparked reactions, threatening a societal ‘backlash’ affecting hundreds of millions of Americans. The plan involves a mix of tax breaks and reductions in state spending, with the saved amounts primarily allocated to strengthen the military and broader U.S. defense. First, Trump’s plan seeks to extend the 2017 tax cuts, which otherwise would expire by year-end, costing $4 trillion over the next decade. It also creates room for an additional $500 billion in tax reliefs mentioned during Trump’s campaign, totaling $4.5 trillion. Secondly, the budget proposes moderate spending increases targeting immigration control, border protection, and military security—key priorities for Trump. Finally, under conservative demands, the resolution imposes $2 trillion in spending cuts over ten years to partly offset new expenses and lost revenues from tax cuts. Despite this, the new budget will add $2.8 trillion directly to the deficit. Currently, Trump’s budget proposal does not specify which programs will be cut but delegates specific committees to slash funds from their jurisdiction. Major cuts likely include Medicaid, impacting up to 21 million beneficiaries across 41 states. Education programs, including school meals and student loans, face significant reductions too. Additionally, food assistance programs like SNAP could see cuts affecting 42 million Americans. Meanwhile, a ‘tsunami’ of job and expenditure cuts looms over almost all departments and services, exacerbated by Elon Musk’s newly named DOGE department, proposing voluntary exit programs for federal employees.