The House gave final approval to President Donald Trump’s request to claw back about $9 billion for public broadcasting and foreign aid early Friday as Republicans intensified their efforts to target institutions and programs they view as bloated or out of step with their agenda.
The vote marked the first time in decades that a president has successfully submitted such a rescissions request to Congress, and the White House suggested it won’t be the last. Some Republicans were uncomfortable with the cuts, yet supported them anyway, wary of crossing Trump or upsetting his agenda.
The House passed the bill by a vote of 216-213. It now goes to Trump for his signature.
Other news we’re following today:
- Wall Street Journal report on Trump and Epstein: The President promised a lawsuit after The Wall Street Journal described a sexually suggestive letter that the newspaper says bore Trump’s name and was included in a 2003 album for Jeffrey Epstein’s 50th birthday. Trump denied writing the letter, calling it “false, malicious, and defamatory.” It came after Trump in recent days has berated as “weaklings” supporters vying for more records from the Epstein probe.
- Trump’s appointees requested more marble for the Fed’s $2.5 billion renovation: Trump has looked to the marble finishes and hefty price tag of the Federal Reserve headquarters to claim grounds to fire Chair Jerome Powell, with whom he has tussled for years over interest rates. But the extensive use of marble in the building is, at least in part, the result of policies backed by Trump himself.
- Trump diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency: Swollen legs led to the President being diagnosed. It’s a fairly common condition among older adults but requires a thorough checkup to rule out more serious causes of swelling in the legs.
