Trump’s plan to cut $5 billion in foreign aid has heightened the risk of a federal shutdown as Democrats and some Republicans resist the move.
US President Donald Trump has moved to cut $5 billion in congressionally-approved foreign aid, the White House announced Friday, escalating the risk of a government shutdown as Democrats vow opposition. The proposed cuts target State Department and USAID programs, with Trump declaring he “will always put AMERICA FIRST.”
USAID, founded in 1961, has already seen its budget reduced by 85 percent under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who praised Trump’s move as eliminating “fraud, waste, and abuse” — including funding for global LGBTQ awareness.
Democrats condemned the measure, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer calling it “illegal” and warning it would “doom negotiations to avoid a painful and entirely unnecessary shutdown.” Some moderate Republicans also expressed unease.
Trump, in his second term, is pushing to expand presidential powers by clawing back spending near the fiscal year’s end, when Congress may lack time to act. Shutdowns, while rare, can furlough 900,000 workers and halt federal services.