Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D., Md.) during an appearance on MSNBC Tuesday castigated President Donald Trump's budget, calling it "fraudulent accounting."
"While assuming 'robust growth' of 3 percent the administration is banking on right now, they say that this could eliminate the federal deficit within a decade. Is that reasonable and is the cost too great to even shoot for that goal?" MSNBC host Peter Alexander asked.
"Peter, it is totally fraudulent accounting," Van Hollen said. "In that sense, this is a fake budget."
Van Hollen went on to compare Trump's budget to the Republican budget plan that passed Congress a few months ago.
"[The Republican budget] assumed two percent growth over a period of time," Van Hollen said. "The Trump folks assume three percent. There is no economic projection out there by anybody who talks talks about that kind of growth."
Van Hollen said that when it comes to the Trump administration's deficit claims, the budget is a "scam."
"I want to be clear. The harm this budget would do to middle-class families and working Americans is real, but the claims that they will actually balance the deficit, totally, totally scam. It's a scam. That's the only way to put it," Van Hollen said.
Van Hollen is not the only Democrat who has been critical of the budget plan. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) released a statement on Tuesday calling Trump's budget "a stark showcase of the President’s broken promises to America’s hard-working families."
"Throwing billions at defense while abandoning working families will only hollow out our national strength. The budget is a statement of our values," Pelosi said. "President Trump’s budget shows he does not value the future of seniors, children and working families."