In a letter sent Thursday to Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, President Donald Trump said he would not be spending $4.9 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid — effectively cutting the budget without going through the legislative branch. The letter was posted Friday morning on the X account of the White House Office of Management and Budget.
Trump’s move rests on a tool not used in nearly 50 years, known as a pocket rescission: A president submits a request to Congress to not spend approved funds toward the end of the fiscal year so that Congress can’t act on the request in the 45-day timeframe, and the money goes unspent as a result. The fiscal year draws to a close at the end of September.
Such a move, if standardized by the White House, could effectively bypass Congress on key spending choices and potentially wrest some control over spending from the House and the Senate.
Here's the latest:
Trump’s ‘pocket rescission’ is a rarely used flex on Congress. Here’s why some say its illegal
Trump’s budget office is telling Congress it won’t spend funding for nearly $5 billion in foreign aid projects that had already been approved by lawmakers, just weeks before the end of the fiscal year.
It’s a flex on Congress’s authority that hasn’t been used in nearly 50 years, in part because it’s so legally dubious. Here’s why.
Usually, funding rescissions from the White House have to be approved by Congress, but because this rescission request was made so close to the end of the fiscal year, Congress doesn’t have time to act within the 45-day window it’s given under law to either accept or reject the request.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office, which acts as a watchdog for Congress, has already weighed in to say that such a move — called a “pocket rescission” — is illegal. Essentially, it allows a president to subvert Congress’ constitutional power over government funds.
But the White House went ahead and did it anyways, setting up a clash with lawmakers as they try to work out a funding package in the coming weeks.
Here’s what the White House is withholding funds for
The White House is targeting nearly $5 billion in funds, using a maneuver known as a pocket rescission that essentially defies the will of Congress. Here’s the programs affected:
$3.2 billion for development assistance grants, which included programs like food security research, a fund meant to counter Chinese influence abroad, initiatives meant to spur businesses to engage in climate solutions
$520 million for the UN regular budget, and other organizations such the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
$838 million for contributions to international peacekeeping operations
$322 million for the Democracy Fund, which is meant to encourage democracy and inclusiveness in other nations
Zelenskyy seeks talks with Trump and European leaders on slow progress of peace efforts with Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that Ukrainian officials want to meet with President Trump and European leaders next week to discuss recent developments in efforts to end the three-year war with Russia.
The proposed meetings appeared designed to add momentum to the push for peace, as Zelenskyy expressed frustration with what he called Russia’s lack of constructive engagement in the process while it continues to launch devastating aerial attacks on civilian areas.
Trump has bristled at Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s stalling on an U.S. proposal for direct peace talks with Zelenskyy and said a week ago he expected to decide on next steps in two weeks if direct talks aren’t scheduled.
Trump complained last month that Putin “ talks nice and then he bombs everybody.” But he’s also chided Ukraine’s attacks, and a major missile and drone attack on Ukraine overnight from Wednesday to Thursday that killed at least 23 people drew no public condemnation from the Trump administration.
▶ Read more about Russia’s war in Ukraine
US revokes visas of Palestinian officials ahead of UN General Assembly
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has revoked the visas of a number of Palestinian Authority and Palestine Liberation Organization officials ahead of next month’s UN General Assembly session at which the two groups had been previously represented.
In a statement, the State Department said Friday that Rubio had also ordered that some new Palestinian official visa applications be denied. The statement didn’t specify how many visas had been revoked or how many applications had been denied.
“It is in our national security interests to hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments, and for undermining the prospects for peace,” the department said. “Before the PLO and PA can be considered partners for peace, they must consistently repudiate terrorism — including the October 7 massacre — and end incitement to terrorism in education, as required by U.S. law and as promised by the PLO.”
Palestinian representatives assigned to the Palestinian Authority mission at the United Nations will be granted waivers so they can continue their New York-based operations, it added.
Vought takes reins of USAID from Rubio
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is relinquishing one of his several Trump administration jobs to Russell Vought, who’s taking on another post.
Rubio posted on social media Friday that the Office of Management and Budget director would take over the U.S. Agency for International Development “to oversee the closeout of an agency that long ago went off the rails.”
Vought replied on social media, “Happy to help! Let’s go!”
Rubio joked during this week’s cabinet meeting that the coming Labor Day holiday would be very meaningful to him “as someone with four jobs.” In addition to serving as chief U.S. diplomat and heading up USAID, Rubio has been serving as acting national security adviser and leading the National Archives and Records Administration.
RFK Jr. sends email to CDC employees amid leadership turmoil at the agency
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sent the message to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees Thursday night, amid an exodus of leaders at the Atlanta-based agency.
The White House this week moved to dismiss CDC Director Susan Monarez after she was in the job less that a month, and three top CDC officials resigned in protest. In the email Thursday night, Kennedy said he was committed to working with CDC employees. He said HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill will also serve as Acting CDC Director.
Kennedy also said he and President Trump “are aligned on the commonsense vision for the CDC,” which Kennedy described as a focus on infectious diseases and those spread through the air or contact with contaminated surfaces.
He also noted the planned launch of a Biothreat Radar Detection System, which would expand the advanced molecular detection work performed by the CDC center focused on emerging infectious diseases. That center’s director, Dr. Daniel Jernigan, was one of the CDC officials who resigned this week.
Trump has repeatedly cut off security for figures who’ve fallen out of his favor
The president has ended Secret Service protection for his onetime national security adviser John Bolton and members of Biden’s family, including the former president’s adult children.
The decision to strip Harris of protection is certain to raise alarms among security experts who view continuity of protection as essential in a polarized climate. The run-up to the 2024 election was particularly charged, with Trump facing two assassination attempts. The Secret Service played a crucial role in protecting the now-president.
Harris’ Secret Service protection officially ends Monday
A senior Trump administration official said an executive memorandum was issued Thursday to the Department of Homeland Security ending Harris’ security detail and security services.
Those had been extended from six to 18 months by the Biden administration, so they would have ended in July 2026, but now they’ll be terminated Monday.
The move to drop Harris’ Secret Service protection comes as the former vice president is about to embark on a book tour for her memoir, titled “107 Days.” The book is scheduled to be released next month.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer calls on Trump to fire Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Schumer says Kennedy’s tenure leading the Department of Health and Human Services has been marked by chaos.
“RFK Jr.’s stubborn, pigheaded, and conspiracy-based attacks on proven science are going to make many more people sick and cause more deaths,” Schumer, a New York Democrat said in a statement. “Americans are in greater danger every day Robert Kennedy Jr. remains as HHS Secretary.”
Senate Democrats uniformly opposed Kennedy’s confirmation in February, but criticism of how he’s handled the job has only increased since the Trump administration moved to fire Susan Monarez, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Kennedy is scheduled to appear before a Senate panel next week.
Trump uses ‘pocket rescission’ to block $4.9B in foreign aid
The president said in a Thursday letter to Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson that he would not be spending $4.9 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid.
The letter was posted Friday morning on the X account of the White House Office of Management and Budget.
Trump is using what’s known as a “pocket rescission” in which a president submits a request to Congress to not spend approved funds toward the end of the fiscal year, so that Congress can not act on the request in time and the money goes unspent as a result. September is the final month in the government’s fiscal calendar.
Trump revokes Secret Service protection for former VP Harris, AP sources say
President Trump has revoked Secret Service protection for former Vice President Kamala Harris. That’s according to a senior White House official.
Former vice presidents typically get federal government protection for six months after leaving office, while ex-presidents do so for life. But another person familiar with the matter says then-President Joe Biden quietly signed a directive that had extended protection for Harris beyond the traditional six months.
The people insisted on anonymity Friday to discuss a matter not made public.
▶ Read more about Harris’ Secret Service protection
— Seung Min Kim
Trump has no public events on his schedule today
It’s not unusual for the president to spend a day away from the public eye. On Thursday, Trump received an intelligence briefing and signed executive orders, but both of those events were closed to the news media.
Fed governor Cook to seek court order blocking her firing by Trump
A case that could provide the Trump administration with new and expansive power over the traditionally independent Federal Reserve will get its first court hearing Friday.
Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook has requested an emergency injunction to block President Donald Trump’s attempt to fire her over allegations that she committed mortgage fraud when she purchased a home and condo in 2021. She was appointed to the Fed’s board by former president Joe Biden in 2022.
If her firing is allowed to stand, it would likely erode the Fed’s longstanding independence from day-to-day politics. No president has ever fired a Fed governor in the agency’s 112-year history. Economists broadly support Fed independence because it makes it easier for the central bank to take unpopular steps such as raising interest rates to combat inflation.
▶ Read more about Lisa Cook and the Federal Reserve
The Associated Press
