On both sides of the political aisle, very few U.S. adults think the country is spending too much on Social Security and Medicare, according to the January AP-NORC poll. But there are bigger divides on spending for the military, border security, Medicaid and assistance to the poor.

Many U.S. adults believe the federal government is overspending. But polling also shows many Americans, including Republicans, think the country is spending too little on major government programs like Social Security.

Many U.S. adults believe the federal government is overspending but also spending too little on major government programs like Social Security.

Recent polling shows that Americans are largely contradictory when it comes to the federal budget. They think the government should spend more on key issues and programs – but less overall. As President Donald Trump and Elon Musk push for extensive cuts to the federal budget,