UPDATE: The House of Representatives has just approved a significant $9 billion cut to funding for foreign aid and public broadcasting, sending the legislation to President Donald Trump for final approval. The vote, which concluded early on Friday, was narrowly passed with a 216-213 tally, primarily along party lines, after a contentious delay caused by disputes over the Epstein files issue.
This urgent decision allows the Trump administration to reclaim approximately $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which supports major public broadcasters like NPR and PBS. Additionally, around $8 billion will be clawed back from foreign aid programs, including allocations to USAID.
The Senate had previously cleared the package with a narrow 51-48 vote on Thursday, with notable opposition from Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine. Following the House vote, Trump expressed his enthusiasm on Truth Social, stating, “REPUBLICANS HAVE TRIED DOING THIS FOR 40 YEARS, AND FAILED….BUT NO MORE. THIS IS BIG!!!” His post criticized public broadcasting funding, labeling the cuts as necessary to eliminate “ATROCIOUS NPR AND PUBLIC BROADCASTING, WHERE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR WERE WASTED.”
The legislation reflects a commitment by Trump and House Republicans to enforce fiscal responsibility and reduce perceived waste in government spending. Representative Mike Johnson reiterated this sentiment on social media, stating, “Today, we’re once again delivering on that promise…The American people will no longer be forced to fund politically biased media and more than $8 billion in outrageous expenses overseas.”
This development is likely to have significant ramifications on public broadcasting and foreign aid, impacting millions of Americans who rely on these services. The final decision rests with President Trump, who is expected to sign the bill into law shortly.
As the political landscape evolves, the implications of this funding cut will be closely monitored. Stay tuned for updates as this story develops.
