More than $5 trillion in US taxes: Who gets it? episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 15, 2026 · 20 MIN

More than $5 trillion in US taxes: Who gets it?

from The Take · host Al Jazeera

On Tax Day, trillions flow into the United States government. But new analysis shows a significant share is directed toward war, defense contractors, and border enforcement, while healthcare and food assistance face mounting pressures and cuts. As deficits grow and everyday costs rise, what do these budget choices reveal about who the system is built to serve, both in the US and beyond? In this episode:  Lindsay Koshgarian (@lindsaykosh), Program Director, National Priorities Project Episode credits: This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé and David Enders with Tamara Khandaker, Catherine Nouhan, Tuleen Barakat, Adhil Veetil, Firas Yateem, Michel Bou Dagher, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Sarí el-Khalili.  Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.  Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

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More than $5 trillion in US taxes: Who gets it?

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This episode was published on April 15, 2026.

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On Tax Day, trillions flow into the United States government. But new analysis shows a significant share is directed toward war, defense contractors, and border enforcement, while healthcare and food assistance face mounting pressures and cuts. As...

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