Trump administration seeks to cancel nearly $1bn in approved spending

The Trump administration is seeking to cancel nearly $1bn in spending approved by Congress, using a procedure that has drawn criticism from lawmakers and the Government Accountability Office. The White House Office of Management and Budget said the rescissions targeted what it called harmful government spending. Much of the money supports organisations providing services to refugees, unaccompanied minors and other immigrants.

The administration said the funds were no longer necessary because illegal border crossings had fallen considerably. A White House release also highlighted links between some recipient organisations and officials who worked under former Democratic President Barack Obama. Senator Susan Collins, a Republican and chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, criticised the decision.

She said it had been announced without warning or consultation and pledged to work with colleagues to address what she called illegal actions. Collins argued that withholding funds without reporting the move to Congress amounted to an impoundment and an encroachment on Congress’s constitutional control over appropriations. She said the executive branch could not decide independently which congressionally approved programmes deserved funding.

The administration announced the cuts with five days remaining in the federal fiscal year, leaving little time for the usual congressional review of proposed spending reductions. The Government Accountability Office has said the procedure, known as a pocket rescission, is illegal. Trump used the mechanism last year to block $4.9bn in approved foreign aid.

The Supreme Court declined to stop those rescissions, with its decision placing significant weight on presidential authority over foreign affairs. The current action targets domestic programmes instead.