1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

I am writing to ask a direct and serious question: how can you continue to describe yourself as fiscally conservative while supporting an administration that has overseen the largest first-year increase in the national debt in American history? According to U.S. Treasury data, the national debt has grown by more than $2.8 trillion in the first year of President Trump’s second term alone. That is not just a large increase—it is larger than the first-year debt increases under any previous president, including during periods of war, recession, or financial crisis. For comparison: - President Biden (2021): approximately $1.9 trillion increase in the first year, largely driven by pandemic response already underway. - President Trump (first term, 2017): approximately $670 billion in the first year. - President Obama (2009): approximately $1.4 trillion during the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. - President George W. Bush (2001): approximately $450 billion. - President Clinton (1993): debt growth slowed significantly and ultimately turned into budget surpluses. Even compared to crisis years, the first year of President Trump’s second term stands alone in scale. This increase occurred without a recession, without a global financial collapse, and without a pandemic emergency, making it historically unprecedented. At the current pace, the federal government is adding more than $7 billion per day to the national debt. Interest payments alone are now among the largest line items in the federal budget, crowding out spending on infrastructure, healthcare, and economic stability. Calling this approach “fiscal conservatism” defies both math and history. Fiscal conservatism traditionally means: - Reducing deficits - Restraining spending - Avoiding reckless borrowing - Protecting future generations from unsustainable debt Yet the results of this administration—and the congressional majorities that support it—show the opposite. Record debt accumulation in a single year is not conservative; it is fiscally irresponsible. I would like a clear answer to the following: Do you dispute that this is the largest first-year increase in national debt under any president? If not, how do you justify calling this record borrowing “fiscal conservatism”? What specific actions are you taking to reverse this trajectory rather than defend it? Rhetoric aside, the numbers speak for themselves. As your constituent, I expect honesty, accountability, and policies grounded in facts—not slogans. I look forward to your response.