URGENT UPDATE: U.S. President Donald Trump has just announced a significant maneuver to block a $4.9 billion foreign aid budget approved by Congress. In a letter sent to House Speaker Mike Johnson, Trump is utilizing a tactic not seen in nearly 50 years, known as a pocket rescission, to effectively cut funding without legislative approval.
This unprecedented move comes as the fiscal year is set to close on September 30, 2023. By submitting the request so close to the deadline, Trump ensures that Congress cannot act within the 45-day timeframe, resulting in the funds going unspent. The letter detailing this decision was posted on Friday morning via the White House Office of Management and Budget’s X account.
The cut will affect funding from both the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which has been an early target for Trump’s efforts to reduce foreign aid. This is the first pocket rescission initiated by a president since 1977, when then-President Jimmy Carter employed a similar strategy. The Trump administration argues that this move is legally permissible under the 1974 Impoundment Control Act, which allows the president to propose canceling funds approved by Congress.
If standardized, this tactic could significantly change the landscape of federal spending, allowing the White House to bypass Congress on critical funding decisions. Previously, in July, Congress approved $9 billion in cuts, underscoring Trump’s ongoing efforts to curtail foreign aid — a policy that has deepened under his administration despite concerns about its impact on international relations and humanitarian efforts.
Since taking office, Trump has sought to eliminate nearly all of USAID’s contracts and up to $60 billion in overall foreign assistance. These cuts have raised alarms about the potential humanitarian fallout, as foreign populations face reduced access to essential programs and food supplies. Just this past Wednesday, the Trump administration appealed to the Supreme Court to uphold decisions that preserve foreign aid for critical global health initiatives, including programs for HIV and AIDS.
As this story develops, the implications of Trump’s actions could provoke a significant backlash from both Congress and international allies. Observers are closely monitoring how this unprecedented use of pocket rescission will reshape future federal appropriations and the overall role of Congress in budgetary decisions.
Stay tuned for ongoing developments as this situation unfolds.
