President Trump plans to use a pocket rescission to cancel nearly $5 billion in foreign aid, a move deemed illegal by the GAO because it circumvents Congress's power of the purse. Pocket rescissions involve delaying funds close to the fiscal year's end, causing them to expire before approval, which the law prohibits. Experts and lawmakers criticize this approach, emphasizing that proper budget reductions should go through the legislative process.
The Trump administration is preparing to challenge a 1974 budget law by potentially refusing to spend funds allocated by Congress, which could shift the power dynamics between the White House and Congress.
President-elect Donald Trump's aides are exploring ways to implement recommendations from a new government spending commission led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, potentially bypassing Congress. The commission aims to apply business efficiency principles to U.S. government spending. Trump's team is considering challenging a 1974 budget law to allow unilateral adoption of the commission's proposals, which could lead to a constitutional conflict over federal spending powers. While some Republicans support the move, legal experts argue it would likely be struck down by the courts.
