Washington (TDI): The US Senate early on Thursday approved Donald Trump’s plan for billions of dollars in cuts to funding for foreign aid and public broadcasting, handing the president another victory as he exerts control over Congress with little opposition.
The Senate voted 51 to 48 in favour of Trump’s request to slash $9 billion in spending already approved by Congress.
The proposed cuts target assistance programs for countries battling disease, armed conflicts, and natural disasters. Notably, the entire $1.1 billion budget for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, spread over the next two years, has been axed.
Republican lawmakers, echoing Trump’s sentiments, argue that funding public broadcasting is an avoidable burden on taxpayers. Many within the GOP have also criticized the broadcaster’s reporting, accusing it of a consistent bias against right-leaning politics.
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Historically, Congress has been reluctant to approve standalone “rescission” proposals, which essentially roll back funds already committed by lawmakers. But this time, with Republicans holding slim majorities in both chambers, resistance has been minimal.
Although the $9 billion represents only a fraction of the $6.8 trillion federal budget, it’s part of a broader push by the administration to trim government spending.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by billionaire Elon Musk, has played a key role in identifying cuts. Reports from Democratic legislators indicate that the Trump administration has currently put a hold on over $425 billion in previously approved funding, according to Reuters.
This rescission package passed the House last month by a 214-212 margin. Interestingly, four Republicans crossed party lines to vote against it alongside all Democrats. In the Senate, however, concerns emerged from a few Republican members about the scale of cuts to international health initiatives.
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To address this, White House Budget Director Russell Vought announced earlier this week that PEPFAR, a long-standing global initiative launched under President George W. Bush to combat HIV/AIDS, would be spared from reductions.
This revision reduced the total proposed cuts from $9.4 billion to $9 billion, triggering the need for a fresh vote in the House before it heads to the White House for Trump’s signature.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
