TCS President Steve Ellis and Policy Analyst Gabe Murphy break down President Trump's Golden Dome missile defense program—an ambitious vision to shield the entire United States from nuclear attack. With potential costs ranging from $3.6 to $6 trillion and fundamental technical challenges that make near-perfect interception virtually impossible, Golden Dome represents fiscal irresponsibility on a massive scale. Congress has already approved over $24 billion without even seeing a basic architecture for how the system would work. We examine why hitting hundreds of nuclear warheads traveling at 15,600 mph is far more complex than Israel's Iron Dome, how nuclear explosions could blind the system's own radars, and why pursuing this program could trigger a dangerous new arms race in space while undermining arms control efforts. Bottom line: if it doesn't work, don't fund it.

Congress faces a partial government shutdown at midnight over Department of Homeland Security funding—but the border enforcement operations at the center of the fight will continue largely uninterrupted. Last summer's reconciliation bill locked in $170 billion for immigration enforcement through 2029, sitting outside the annual appropriations process. This means agencies like FEMA, TSA, and the Coast Guard could shut down while ICE operations continue with their massive funding increase. TCS Director of Research Josh Sewell joins Steve Ellis to break down how Congress gave up the power of the purse, why this shutdown is different from previous ones, and what taxpayers need to understand about budget gimmicks that prioritize political expediency over fiscal accountability.

Just when you thought Pentagon spending couldn't get more out of control, President Trump proposes a 50% budget increase in one year—rocketing Defense spending from $901 billion to $1.5 trillion. That's $500 billion more... and tariffs won't cover it. On Budget Watchdog All Federal, host Steve Ellis and TCS policy analyst Gabe Murphy break down why this "dream military" proposal is fiscal madness, explore a new executive order targeting defense contractor stock buybacks, and examine why Congress should have a say before military action in Venezuela costs taxpayers even more. The first episode of 2026 pulls no punches on defending your tax dollars.