White House Requests $9.4 Billion in Cuts Backed by Trump and Republicans to End Wasteful Spending

The White House on Tuesday officially submitted a major funding rescission request to Congress seeking to claw back $9.4 billion in government spending, focusing primarily on foreign aid and public broadcasting.

This move represents the first formal package aimed at codifying the substantial budget cuts initiated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an effort championed by President Donald Trump and embraced by Republican leaders as a crucial step toward fiscal responsibility and smaller government.

For years, conservative activists and lawmakers have pressed for decisive action to reduce federal spending deemed wasteful, and this rescission package responds directly to those calls.

The Trump administration and GOP congressional leaders have framed the proposal as an important milestone in their broader agenda to streamline government, cut unnecessary expenses, and prioritize American taxpayers.

This request arrives as the House and Senate Republicans continue to advance the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — a sweeping legislative package that incorporates President Trump’s signature tax cuts and spending priorities designed to spur economic growth while reigning in federal outlays.

Crucially, the rescission request only requires a simple majority vote to pass in both chambers of Congress. This procedural advantage enables Republicans to circumvent potential Democratic filibusters in the Senate, clearing a more straightforward path toward implementation.

Once submitted, Congress has a 45-day window to act on the request, although lawmakers must balance the urgency of the rescissions with other pressing legislative matters, including the broader tax and spending bill.

The House has already set its sights on voting on the package as soon as next week, signaling strong Republican commitment to moving swiftly on this issue.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) expressed unreserved support for the rescission request, emphasizing its role in eliminating what he described as “wasteful foreign aid spending” across various government departments.

Johnson stated, “Today, we have officially received the rescissions request from the White House to eliminate $9.4 billion in wasteful foreign aid spending at State and USAID and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds NPR and PBS.

The House will act quickly on this request.” His remarks underscore the Republican majority’s resolve to follow through on cutting expenditures that they believe fail to serve American interests or reflect fiscal prudence.

The official communication from President Trump, delivered and read on the House floor Tuesday afternoon, formally reports the 22 rescissions of budget authority totaling $9.4 billion.

Trump’s message specifically highlights that the rescissions would affect programs administered by the Department of State, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the United States Institute of Peace, and several other international assistance programs.

This broad scope reflects the administration’s comprehensive review and targeted reductions across multiple federal agencies and programs.

The lion’s share of the proposed cuts—$8.3 billion—would come from foreign aid funding, particularly appropriations previously approved for USAID.

This agency has undergone significant restructuring as part of the DOGE reforms, which aim to improve efficiency and eliminate redundant or ineffective spending.

Within these foreign aid reductions, millions of dollars are being pulled from accounts funding international LGBTQ programs, gender equity initiatives, global climate change projects, and green energy efforts.

An Office of Management and Budget (OMB) spokesperson clarified that the rescissions are designed to end support for programs that do not directly advance American interests or provide life-saving treatment.

Among the more controversial elements of the package are cuts totaling nearly $9 million from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

The OMB pointed to specific expenditures within PEPFAR, such as $3 million allocated for circumcision, vasectomies, and condoms in Zambia, and $5.1 million dedicated to strengthening the resilience of global LGBTQ movements.

Additionally, $22 million would be rescinded from the African Development Foundation. The administration’s stance is that these funds, while well-intentioned, do not sufficiently align with national priorities or the responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.

Beyond these cuts, the rescission proposal calls for more than $2 billion in reductions labeled as “unnecessary development assistance,” targeting programs like the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and others.

Moreover, the Economic Support Fund (ESF) would see a rescission of over \$1.6 billion if Congress approves the package. The Migration and Refugee Assistance (MRA) account at the State Department, which supports the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and humanitarian aid overseas, is slated for an $800 million cut.

Additionally, $400 million would be clawed back from USAID’s global health programs aimed at controlling HIV/AIDS.

The request’s language makes clear that the administration intends to eliminate programs that neither deliver life-saving services nor advance American interests.

The package is framed as an extension of President Trump’s ongoing campaign to root out waste and inefficiency within the federal government, thereby redirecting resources toward initiatives that truly matter for the country’s security and prosperity.

A significant point of focus within Republican messaging has been the proposed $1.1 billion in cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which funds National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).

These outlets have long been criticized by GOP lawmakers for perceived political bias and what conservatives describe as unnecessary government subsidies.

The rescission proposal includes eliminating advanced appropriations previously approved by Congress for CPB, with a rescission of $535 million slated for both fiscal years 2026 and 2027. 

The request bluntly states that these funds currently support a “public media system that is politically biased and an unnecessary expense to the taxpayer,” and that enacting the rescission would end federal funding for CPB.

It is important to note that NPR and PBS have actively pushed back against these efforts. Both organizations have filed lawsuits challenging Trump administration orders that targeted their funding, asserting that cuts threaten the viability of independent, public media.

Nevertheless, the administration and Republican lawmakers maintain that removing taxpayer dollars from these outlets is a necessary step in curbing government overreach and protecting taxpayers from supporting partisan media.

Though the $9.4 billion rescission package is substantial, it accounts for only a small fraction of the total savings claimed by the Department of Government Efficiency.

According to DOGE’s website, the department has secured approximately $175 billion in savings through a combination of workforce reductions, grant and contract cancellations, regulatory rollbacks, and asset sales.

The current package represents the first formal step in translating these savings into legally recognized budget cuts, reinforcing the administration’s broader commitment to shrinking government.

Notably, Democrats on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have accused the Trump administration of overstepping its authority by illegally freezing an estimated $425 billion in federal funding.

They argue that the administration’s sweeping downsizing efforts are undermining the federal government’s ability to operate effectively.

Despite these accusations, Republicans remain confident that Congress will approve the rescissions, viewing the package as a critical corrective measure to address fiscal waste and mismanagement.

Republican leaders in both chambers express optimism about the package’s prospects and suggest that this could be the first of multiple rescission requests in the months ahead.

They emphasize the importance of these efforts as the Trump administration faces legal challenges and court-ordered obstacles in its downsizing agenda.

For conservatives committed to smaller government and fiscal discipline, the package represents a tangible victory and a demonstration of legislative momentum.

House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) expressed his confidence shortly after the package’s release, stating, “I think we’ll get it done. I really do.”

While acknowledging that he may disagree with certain elements of the request, Cole reinforced the Republican commitment to advancing the proposal and cutting spending where possible.

However, some senators have signaled that modifications to the package may be necessary. Concerns have been raised about the potential impact of cuts on local television stations, especially those in rural areas, as well as the consequences of reducing funding for programs like PEPFAR, which have broad global health implications.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) noted that although the rescission process is designed to move quickly, the committee will carefully review the proposal to understand its potential effects on global health, national security, emergency communications, and public broadcasting.

The legal framework for this process is established under the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, which allows the president to temporarily withhold congressionally approved funds by sending a rescission request to Congress.

If Congress fails to approve the rescission within 45 days, the withheld funds must be released. President Trump is unique in having utilized this process in recent decades, having attempted similar rescission efforts during his first term in office, although those attempts were ultimately unsuccessful despite unified Republican control of Congress and the White House at the time.

This current request underscores President Trump’s renewed determination to use all available tools to reduce government spending and promote fiscal responsibility.

The administration and Republican leaders are poised to continue advocating for cuts that reflect their shared vision of a streamlined federal government focused on core priorities and efficient use of taxpayer dollars.

In summary, the White House’s $9.4 billion rescission request is a major step forward for the Trump administration and Republican lawmakers in their quest to eliminate wasteful government spending.

The package targets foreign aid programs and public broadcasting funding that conservatives view as excessive or misaligned with national interests.

With a simple majority vote sufficient to pass the package, Republicans are confident in their ability to overcome Democratic opposition and enact meaningful budget cuts.

As the House prepares to vote and the Senate reviews the proposal, the effort exemplifies the ongoing commitment by President Trump and congressional Republicans to restore fiscal discipline and advance the priorities of the American people.

This bold action marks a significant moment in the broader struggle to reshape government and reaffirm conservative principles in the nation’s capital.