In a letter sent on Thursday and released today to Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, US President Donald Trump said he would not provide $4,9 billion in foreign aid previously approved by Congress.
Trump's move relies on a tool that hasn't been used in nearly 50 years, where the president submits a request to Congress to withhold funds near the end of the fiscal year so that Congress cannot act on the request within 45 days, and the money remains unspent as a result.
Such a move, if standardized by the White House, could effectively bypass Congress on key spending issues and potentially take control of spending from the House and Senate.
President Donald Trump's move to cancel nearly $5 billion in foreign aid without congressional approval has angered Democrats, leading to a funding conflict ahead of a potential government shutdown in late September.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who was instrumental in preventing a government shutdown in March, said in a statement that Trump's move was a sign that Republicans would not cooperate to pass another funding package in the coming weeks.
Republicans control both houses of Congress, but they will need the votes of some Democrats to meet the 60-vote threshold in the Senate.
Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries have been inviting Republican leaders to meet with them to discuss the funding package, but they say they have so far refused.
Typically, funding cuts must be approved by Congress, but because this cut request was made so close to the end of the fiscal year, Congress does not have time to act within the 45-day period given to it by law to accept or reject the request.
The US Government Accountability Office, which acts as a watchdog for Congress, has already spoken out, saying such a move is illegal. In essence, it allows the president to undermine Congress' constitutional power over government funds.
But the White House did it anyway, leading to a clash with lawmakers as they try to craft a funding package in the coming weeks.
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