Paul’s Festivus Report Flags $1.6T in Federal Waste

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) has released his 2025 “Festivus Report,” detailing what he calls roughly $1.64 trillion in wasteful federal spending and rising debt costs.

The annual report, now in its eleventh year, highlights spending Paul and his staff say deserves scrutiny. Among the most eye-catching items are funds spent on animal experiments and social media campaigns tied to COVID-19 outreach, as well as ballooning interest on the national debt.

Senate Republicans have used the year-end report for more than a decade to put a spotlight on federal programs they believe stretch taxpayer dollars without delivering clear public value.

The Festivus Report cites millions in research dollars for studies involving dogs, monkeys and ferrets, including experiments where dogs were dosed with cocaine and ferrets were taught to binge drink. Another highlighted category is public health outreach using paid influencers to promote COVID-19 vaccines, a program that received tens of millions in federal funds.

Other controversial line items include grants tied to diversity, equity and inclusion, and international aid projects that the report says have little measurable return.

Paul also drew attention to the nation’s growing federal debt, which has surged toward $40 trillion. According to the Senator, about $1.22 trillion of the total figure in his report reflects interest payments on that debt alone—a cost he says is becoming untenable.

Paul tied the report’s release to a holiday theme, borrowing from the secular “Festivus” tradition of the “airing of grievances.” He said fiscal responsibility has long been his goal and urged lawmakers to confront what he described as unchecked spending.

“No matter how much taxpayer money Washington burns through, politicians can’t help but demand more,” Paul said in the release. “Fiscal responsibility may not be the most crowded road, but it’s one I’ve walked year after year — and this holiday season will be no different.”

The full Festivus Report may be found at THIS LINK.