Bulwark Takes The GOP Screamed About Debt—Now They’re Burning $2B a Day
Mar 8, 2026
A critique of Washington’s deficit panic and how promises of massive spending cuts fell flat. A look at reports that the Iran war is costing up to $2 billion per day. A rundown of Elon Musk’s dramatic rhetoric about slashing spending and why those claims did not materialize. A contrast between grand fiscal promises and the reality of rising federal outlays.
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Big Deficit Cuts Were Loud On Stage But Light On Plan
- The Trump administration and Elon Musk promised dramatic deficit cuts but offered vague, outsized claims like $1–2 trillion in reductions and $1 trillion within weeks.
- Tim Miller contrasts those promises (chainsaw for bureaucracy, 130 days) with the lack of concrete policy mechanisms or entitlement reforms that would be required.
Iran War Eating Billions Daily
- The Iran conflict is costing an estimated $1–2 billion per day according to initial reporting cited by Tim Miller.
- He frames this as especially striking given the administration's prior rhetoric about urgent deficit reduction.
Musk's Chainsaw Spectacle And White House Confusion
- Tim Miller recounts Musk's CPAC and Fox appearances where Musk boasted of a 'chainsaw for bureaucracy' and cutting $1 trillion in 130 days.
- He shares a behind-the-scenes anecdote that Musk misunderstood Congress and removed expertise while failing to reduce spending, harming government operations.