Trump asks Congress to slash $9.4 billion in first DOGE spending cut package

Congress is facing another test of its narrow House GOP majority as President Donald Trump has requested $9.4 billion in federal spending cuts. The request targets wasteful foreign aid spending at State and USAID, as well as funding for NPR and PBS through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has vowed that the House will act quickly on this request, which reflects the findings of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by Elon Musk. This move is part of the Republican effort to restore fiscal sanity and reduce government spending.

The proposal, known as a rescissions package, allows the White House to recommend funding cuts to Congress, which must approve them within 45 days. The House and Senate GOP leaders have pledged to work swiftly to codify the funding reductions and bring the package to the floor for a vote.

The rescissions process, created under the 1974 Impoundment Control Act, gives the president a say in government spending while requiring congressional approval. It allows the party in power to lower the Senate’s threshold for passage, making it easier to pass spending cuts.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought has indicated that more rescissions packages could be coming, depending on the success of the first one. This initial package is seen as a test run to gauge Congress’s ability to deliver on the president’s mandate to cut wasteful spending.

While many Republicans are likely to support cuts to NPR, PBS, and USAID, some concerns have been raised about the GOP’s slim majority in the House. Moderate members may be hesitant to support cuts that could be perceived as defunding popular programs like Big Bird on Sesame Street.

Conservative groups like the House Freedom Caucus and Republican Study Committee are pushing for the spending cuts to be passed quickly. The Freedom Caucus has called for the bill to be passed as soon as this week, emphasizing the need for fiscal responsibility and reducing government waste.

As Congress faces this new challenge of considering spending cuts, the clock is ticking for lawmakers to act on President Trump’s request. The outcome of this test will determine the future of DOGE’s efforts to slash wasteful government spending and restore fiscal sanity in Washington.