POLITICS NEWS – Congress approves Trump’s $9B cuts to public broadcasting and foreign aid in historic vote

In a narrow 216-213 vote, the House approved President Donald Trump’s $9 billion rescissions package early on Friday, slashing funds for public broadcasting and foreign aid programs. The move marks the first successful use of the rescission process by a president in decades, reflecting escalating Republican efforts to curtail spending on institutions viewed as misaligned with conservative priorities. The package includes $1.1 billion in cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and nearly $8 billion from foreign assistance programs, including humanitarian relief, refugee aid, and democracy-building efforts abroad.

The measure passed the Senate 51-48 without Democratic support. Opponents argued the cuts would harm local stations, especially in rural areas, and reduce U.S. influence abroad, while supporters said they promote fiscal responsibility and shift burdens to other nations. Two Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, joined Democrats in voting against the bill. The vote used a simple majority due to the formal rescission request from the White House, bypassing the usual 60-vote threshold. Additional rescission proposals are expected in the coming months, according to the Office of Management and Budget.