Trump calls for $9.4 billion cut in funding for public media and foreign aid

The Trump administration formally requested Congress on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, to rescind $9.4 billion in previously approved funding, targeting foreign aid and public broadcasters such as NPR and PBS.

This move aligns with spending cuts identified by Elon Musk’s so-called “department of government efficiency,” nicknamed Doge.

The process, known as rescission, is a legal mechanism that allows the administration to retrieve funds already allocated to various programs and policies.

A spokesperson for the White House Office of Management and Budget told the Associated Press that $8.3 billion of the proposed cuts would come from the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

In addition, NPR and PBS stand to lose approximately $1.1 billion in federal funding if Congress approves the rescission request.

These proposed reductions are part of the administration’s broader effort to curb government spending and promote fiscal responsibility.

The targeting of public broadcasters such as NPR and PBS is consistent with the Trump administration’s ongoing adversarial stance toward the U.S. media.

Earlier in May, Trump signed an executive order that reduced federal funding for these media outlets, labeling them as biased.

Beyond funding cuts, Trump has also initiated multiple lawsuits against various news organizations.

Thus escalating tensions between the administration and the press.

The rescission request now moves to Congress, where both the House and Senate will decide whether to approve the funding cuts.

On the same day the request was made, Mike Johnson, the Republican Speaker of the House, pledged to support and advance the rescission efforts.

Johnson stated:

“This rescissions package reflects many of Doge’s findings and is one of the many legislative tools Republicans are using to restore fiscal sanity.”

He added that Congress plans to work closely with the White House to codify these recommendations and bring the rescission package to the House floor for a vote as quickly as possible.

Russ Vought, the White House budget director, indicated that this rescission package could be the first of several.

If successful, more rescission packages and spending cuts might follow.

“We are certainly willing and able to send up additional packages if the congressional will is there,” Vought told reporters.

He emphasized the administration’s commitment to reducing federal expenditures.

In response to the administration’s funding cuts, NPR filed a lawsuit last week against President Trump.

It argued that the executive order which reduced federal funding to public broadcasters violated the First Amendment right to free speech.

NPR accused the administration of unfairly targeting what Trump referred to as “biased media.”

Similarly, PBS filed a lawsuit on Friday.

It claimed that the president had exceeded his authority and engaged in “viewpoint discrimination” by cutting its funding.

The move to rescind $9.4 billion in funding, largely targeting foreign aid and public broadcasting, reflects a broader effort by the Trump administration to tighten government spending.

It also reflects Trump administration’s efforts to challenge media organizations it perceives as unfavorable.

The decision to pursue rescission of already approved funds is notable for its assertiveness.

This supposedly signals a willingness to reverse previously settled budgetary commitments.

The bulk of the cuts will supposedly affect foreign aid programs managed by the State Department and USAID.

The significant reduction in funding for NPR and PBS underscores the administration’s sustained focus on reshaping the media landscape.

The funding reduction to public broadcasters is part of a broader conflict between the Trump administration and segments of the media, with legal battles already underway.

The House and Senate’s forthcoming decisions will be pivotal in determining the fate of the rescission request.

With House Speaker Johnson expressing strong support for the measure, the effort to enshrine these spending cuts into law appears poised to move forward.

Meanwhile, the lawsuits filed by NPR and PBS challenge the legality of the funding cuts, framing them as unconstitutional acts of censorship and discrimination based on viewpoint.

Overall, the Trump administration’s push to rescind billions in funding highlights ongoing tensions in Washington over:

• government spending priorities,
• media relations, and,
• the extent of executive authority.

The outcome of this legislative and legal battle will have significant implications for federal funding policies and the future of public broadcasting in the United States.

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