A resurfaced video from 2011 shows former President Barack Obama calling for cuts to wasteful government spending, echoing many of the same concerns currently being pushed by President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans.

The nearly 14-year-old clip has been widely shared on social media by conservatives as a reminder that even Democratic leaders have acknowledged the need for spending reductions.

In the video, then-President Obama spoke about the importance of making difficult financial decisions to address the national deficit.

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“Everyone knows that getting rid of the deficit will require some tough decisions, and that includes cutting back on billions of dollars in programs that a lot of people care about,” Obama stated at the time.

His comments have resurfaced as Democratic lawmakers continue to push back against Republican efforts to rein in government spending.

Conservative users on X have circulated the clip as evidence that reducing wasteful expenditures is not a partisan issue.

During his 2011 remarks, Obama stressed that even beyond addressing the deficit, certain types of waste should be eliminated entirely.

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“It’s waste we should be getting rid of even if we didn’t have a deficit,” he said. “No amount of waste is acceptable, especially when it’s your money.”

He then pointed to specific examples of what he considered unnecessary spending.

“Did you know the federal government pays for a website devoted to a folk music ensemble made up of forest rangers? They’re called the ‘Fiddlin’ Foresters,’” Obama said.

“I’ll put their music on my iPod, but I’m not paying for their websites.”

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Additionally, Obama highlighted the problem of taxpayer-funded buildings that remain unused across the country.

At the time, he announced that he was putting then-Vice President Joe Biden in charge of an effort to identify and eliminate misspent tax dollars across federal agencies.

Biden, appearing in the video, acknowledged the challenge of the task.

“We’re holding ourselves accountable, and we’re deeply committed and focused on making government function better,” Biden said.

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The video has gained traction among conservatives, who see it as proof that even prominent Democrats once supported significant spending cuts.

Several notable figures weighed in after the clip resurfaced.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk shared the video, commenting, “Obama sounds exactly like @DOGE!!”

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Podcast host Joe Rogan reacted to the clip by saying, “Took 14 years and @elonmusk & @realDonaldTrump for the talk to become action.”

Sports radio host Glenn Ordway wrote, “Sounds like Trump is just doing exactly what Obama did in 2011…don’t remember Dems complaining then.”

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, also joined in, posting, “There’s a video/tweet for everything (2011).”

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The resurfaced remarks have fueled ongoing debates over government spending, with conservatives pointing to the video as further justification for the current administration’s push to curb unnecessary expenditures.

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