But under Trump as president, deficits have grown: Through the first eight months of this budget year, the budget deficit totals $738.6 billion, an increase of 38.8 percent over the same period last year.Among reasons for the deficit: the Trump-backed $1.5 trillion tax cut in 2017 and the sharp increases in spending for the military and domestic programs passed by Congress in 2018."It's unprecedented to have a deficit this high when the economy is this good," MacGuineas said. "Half of this year's deficit is driven by laws passed by the last Congress and signed into law by the president. The tax cuts did not pay for themselves, not even close. Congress cut taxes with one hand and increased ap us government