President Donald Trump is moving to cut $5bn (£3.7bn) in foreign aid using a rarely invoked “pocket rescission,” which allows funds approved by Congress to lapse if left unspent by the end of the fiscal year, according to BBC.
The plan targets USAID, State Department programmes, international peacekeeping, and democracy-promotion efforts. The White House says it is aimed at curbing wasteful spending, but critics argue it sidesteps Congress’s constitutional control over federal funds.
Republican Senator Susan Collins called the move unlawful, while Democratic leader Chuck Schumer warned it could disrupt budget processes and risk a shutdown. The tactic was last used in 1977 under President Jimmy Carter, BBC reported.
