President Donald Trump has told House Speaker Mike Johnson he will not spend $4.9 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid, invoking a rarely used maneuver known as a pocket rescission.
The tactic, last attempted in 1977, lets presidents propose canceling funds so close to the end of the fiscal year that Congress cannot act within the 45-day review window. The money then goes unspent. Trump’s package targets $3.2 billion in development grants, $520 million for the U.N., $838 million for peacekeeping, and $322 million for democracy programs abroad.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed USAID is now in “close out mode,” with remaining foreign aid contracts shifted under State Department oversight.
The move triggered bipartisan pushback. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) said bypassing Congress on spending “is a clear violation of the law.” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) warned the gambit risks “an unnecessary shutdown.” Legal experts argue the 1974 Impoundment Control Act requires Congress to approve rescissions, leaving Trump’s authority in doubt.
Trump has already made deep cuts to foreign aid and successfully clawed back $9 billion earlier this summer with congressional approval.
Sources
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