Trump cancels $810M in congressionally approved spending via rare 'pocket rescission'
Trump uses contested power to eliminate funding for immigrant services and diversity programs with just five days left in fiscal year.
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- Trump cancels $810M in congressionally approved spending via rare 'pocket rescission'you are here
What to know
- Trump canceled $810 million in congressionally approved spending on September 25 using a "pocket rescission"—a rare power last used 50 years ago—targeting immigrant services, refugee programs, diversity initiatives, and education grants for migrants.
- The administration announced the cuts with only five days left in the fiscal year and Congress out of session, making the standard 45-day review period legally impossible; the GAO calls the tactic illegal, though the Supreme Court did not block Trump's similar foreign aid rescission last year.
- Republican Senator Susan Collins and Democratic leaders denounced the move as unconstitutional and an illegal usurpation of Congress's power of the purse, with Collins noting the action came without warning or consultation.
- The rescission is part of a broader Trump administration pattern of expanding executive power at Congress's expense, alongside federal worker firings, historic tariff increases, and military action without congressional authorization.
“The proposed rescissions affect programs of the Departments of Commerce, Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, and Justice, as well as for International Assistance Programs.”
President Trump, President · NY Post ↗
Donald Trump President
Susan Collins Republican Senator, Senate Appropriations Committee chair
Patty Murray Democratic Senator, Senate Appropriations Committee vice-chair
Office of Management and Budget Executive agency implementing rescission
How it unfolded 6 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlespostscomments
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Rescission fits broader pattern of executive expansion at Congress's expense
Coverage notes the rescission is part of a broader Trump administration pattern to exert greater control over the U.S. government and erode congressional power, alongside federal worker firings, historic tariff increases, and initiating war with Iran without congressional authorization, placing the burden on the judicial branch to determine presidential limits.
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18 outlets Trump Invokes Rare Authority To Cancel Nearly $1,000,000,000 In Congressionally Approved Spending
first by Daily Caller, 17d ago · also AP News, PBS, Associated Press, HuffPost, STAT, Yahoo +11
5 more headlines
- Trump administration uses rare authority to claw back nearly $1B in spending approved by Congress AP News · 17d ago
- Trump Uses Rare Authority to Cancel Nearly $1B in HHS Programs Approved by Congress MedPage Today · 15d ago
- Watchdog: Trump Can't Cancel $800 Million in Spending OK'd by Congress NewsMax.com · 14d ago
- Watchdog says Trump can’t cancel more than $800M in spending approved by Congress Orlando Sentinel · 14d ago
- Watchdog says President Trump can’t cancel more than $800M in spending approved by Congress Chicago Tribune · 14d ago
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first by American Greatness, 18d ago · also Los Angeles Times
1 more headline
- Trump uses rare authority to claw back nearly $1 billion in Congress-approved funding Los Angeles Times · 18d ago
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President Trump announced plans to cancel $810 million in Congressionally approved spending, a move that some in his own party are calling illegal.
2 more of the top 3 · 33 posts in this stretch
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# Trump is canceling nearly $1 billion in spending already approved by # Congress , the White House announced on Friday, using a rare & “contested” power to axe # funding for # immigrant services & # diversity focused initiatives. Trump’s Office of Management & Budget [ # OMB aka # RussVought aka # Project2025 ] described the funding cut as…
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Hey. It’s ok, folks. All the money that this administration is blocking that would go to immigrant healthcare and unaccompanied children will instead end up directed towards far more important causes, like adding dear leader’s name to every building in DC that is made of granite and the various vanity projects this corrupt administration wants to…
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Legal and constitutional framework around pocket rescission contested
The Government Accountability Office has called the "pocket rescission" maneuver illegal. The prior pocket rescission issued by Trump a year ago, blocking $4.9 billion in foreign aid, was not blocked by the U.S. Supreme Court, which cited Trump's authority over foreign affairs. This year's action targets domestic spending. Trump argues the tool is legally permissible under the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, though the law contains ambiguities.
“Not only is the delay itself an impoundment that was not reported to Congress, but also it is a usurpation of Congress's appropriations powers. OMB is an agency of the executive branch. It does not get to decide which programs are worth funding.”
— Senator Susan Collins, Republican Senator, Senate Appropriations Committee chair · source -
first by CBS News, 18d ago · also Newsweek
1 more headline
- Lawmakers Rip Trump Over 'Illegal' Pocket Rescission Move—What We Know Newsweek · 18d ago
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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is canceling nearly $1 billion in spending approved by Congress, the White House announced on Friday, using a rare and contested power to axe funding for immigrant services and diversity-focused initiatives. https:// apnews.com/article/trump-resci…
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Democratic Senator Murray calls rescission theft and criticism of Republican votes
Senator Patty Murray, Washington Democrat and vice-chair of the appropriations committee, issued a statement condemning the action as "theft from the American people" and arguing that OMB Director Russell Vought is undermining the votes of Republicans who approved these funds on a bipartisan basis.
“This is theft from the American people, plain and simple. These are funds Congress has delivered on a bipartisan basis and should be helping people – not cut off by a president more focused on building a ballroom than investing in families.”
— Senator Patty Murray -
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Senator Collins denounces rescission as unconstitutional and illegal
Republican Senator Susan Collins, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, condemned the action in a statement, saying it occurred without warning or consultation and represents an unconstitutional usurpation of Congress's appropriations powers. She called it an impoundment not reported to Congress and announced she would work with colleagues to address "these illegal actions."
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White House announces rescission through pocket mechanism with five days left in fiscal year
The rescission becomes effective with just five days remaining before the September 30 fiscal year end and the House out of session through the November election, making the standard 45-day congressional review period legally impossible to execute. The Office of Management and Budget identified the funds as no longer necessary or contrary to Trump policies.
“In accordance with… the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, I herewith report 11 rescissions of budget authority, totaling $810 million.”
— President Trump, President · source -
first by CNBC, 17d ago
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Trump announces pocket rescission canceling $810 million in spending
President Trump orders cancellation of $810 million in congressionally appropriated funding across 11 programs at seven federal departments, including HHS programs serving immigrants, education initiatives for migrant students, Justice Department race relations office, Housing and Urban Development counseling services, and minority business development programs. The administration says most funds are no longer necessary due to diminished illegal border crossings.
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6 outlets first by RedState, 17d ago · also Time, Yahoo, Time Magazine, NPR, Washington Examiner · read ↗
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first by NY Post, 18d ago · also New York Post
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Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet
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first by KOMO, 17d ago · also Washington Examiner, The Maine Wire, Trump Truth Social
3 more headlines
- Trump takes aim at DEI and noncitizen programs in $1 billion pocket rescission Washington Examiner · 14d ago
- President Trump Announces Nearly $1 Billion “Pocket Rescission” Package The Maine Wire · 13d ago
- Exclusive: Trump Cancels Nearly $1B In Funding For Illegal Immigrants And Race-Focused Programs In New ‘Pocket’ Rescission: Trump Truth Social · 13d ago
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first by Investing.com News, 18d ago · also Straits Times, Reuters
1 more headline
- Trump seeks to withhold US$800 million in Congress-approved funds Straits Times · 18d ago
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first by CBS News, 18d ago · also CBC, WBAL-TV
2 more headlines
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first by Washington Post, 17d ago · also The Washington Post
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first by Mastodon, 18d ago · also Guardian
and 12 smaller pieces
What people are saying 20 voices from 3 sites · best of 34 · verbatim
- Sep 28
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@troyjackson207.bsky.social, Susan Collins is “deeply concerned” as usual. At the 11th hour before the #Midterms, she’s called out OMB. Come on! She’s been a rubber stamp for almost 2 years. 🙄 @npr.org reports.
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What to know about the $810 million in U.S. government spending canceled by President Trump. The move, called a pocket rescission, is illegal, according to the Government Accountability Office, an independent, non-partisan watchdog agency. @ npr reports: https:// flip.it/H7bmgX # Trump # USPolitics # News
- Sep 27
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It wasn't rare authority. It was an illegal order. It wasn't spending approved by congress, it was spending mandated by law. This wasn't a clever maneuver by the Trump administration. It was a crime and should be referred to as such.
- Sep 26
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This "pocket recission" is most likely illegal, as determined by the GAO. https://www. cnbc.com/2026/09/26/white-hous e-810-million-pocket-rescission.html https://www. pbs.org/newshour/politics/trum p-administration-uses-rare-authority-to-claw-back-nearly-1b-in-spending-approved-by-congress # PocketRecission
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The education system of the U.S. has been under attack by the right wing of it's political system and is grossly underfunded. As well, mistrust in it's teachers has been encouraged leading to staggering losses of qualified people abandoning the profession. Sad.
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RE: https:// mastodon.social/@RonSupportsYo u/117339720508394649 The Trump Administration refuses to spend money that Congress approved for programs that serve "refugees and unaccompanied minors accused of being in the country illegally," calling it "the most harmful government spending." The most harmful government spending really is money spent…
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'Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the lead Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, described the White House action as “theft from the American people, plain and simple.” “These are funds Congress has delivered on a bipartisan basis and should be helping people—not cut off by a president more focused on building a ballroom than investing…
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Patently unconstitutional‼️ — Trump Seeks to Withhold $800 Million in Congress-Approved Funds @reuters.com The move was the latest salvo in a fight between the Trump administration and Congress over control of the nation's spending.
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Great news! Susan Collins is very concerned about this “usurpation” of Congressional power, so Collins will undoubtedly write Trump a …
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Mr Trump, Congrats! If you can find $39 billion more to cut in helping refugees and unaccompanied children, you will eliminate the debt. Maybe there are some disabled vets and blind people you can cut off. https://www. yahoo.com/news/politics/articl es/trump-administration-uses-rare-authority-234521611.html
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Patty Murray nails it: Russ Vought is telling Congress your votes don't count, and your laws are optional. This is the second time he's pulled this, and the Court already blessed the first billion-dollar heist. Republicans keep saying never again, then letting it happen again. Trump cancels $1B in federal s...
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And what are you prepared to do if the Dems get elected and nothing substantial changes? Or worse, what are you prepared to do if the Dems don't win, or win but Trump escalates and removes any pretence to democracy?
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But I heard that Susan Collins is concerned! I’m sure that since the administration stopped the FBI investigations into her, she’ll see that they are doing what’s best for the American people!
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They have abandoned their duty to the country to instead pursue political gains. The USA congress and the USA Supreme Court could stop this any minute they wanted to, but they’re happy to let things continue and achieve their objectives (Project 2025) Afterwards they’ll just discard him when the backlash inevitably hits, let him take all the blame…
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Trump sought on Friday to unilaterally withhold more than $800 million in spending on immigration, race and education that Congress has approved. The move was the latest salvo in a fight between the Trump administration and Congress over control of the nation's spending https://www. reuters.com/legal/government/t…
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But what do these candidates think about transwomen in women's sports? THESE ARE THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS AMERICA NEEDS TO KNOW!!! /s
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Oh absolutely it’s just gotten more egregious because they arnt doing any sort of push back like at all, not even aesthetically.
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Heres another little problem. There isint shit we can do ouside voting or starving. The US is bigger than the entire EU and way more spread out. Too many idiots let idiots get into power. And anytime we bring up revolting or revolutions we get made fun of for the 2nd amendment existing. So not really much to do there.
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🟠 UPDATE Trump Cancels $1bn in Congressional Funding for Immigrant Services The White House announced a plan to cut $810 million in bipartisan, congressionally approved funding. This specific amount and the immediate bipartisan criticism from lawmakers constitute new details compared to the previous summary which cited a $1 billion cut. 📰…
- Sep 25
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Who is "you" in this context? You're referring to every single US citizen? Super lame to cast such a wide net like that. When you arbitrarily bucket everyone into the nation-based bucket like that, it's reminiscent of the divisive language used by MAGA when it's convenient. So many US citizens have voted blue their entire lives, protested, donated…