Republican Senator Susan Collins said President Donald Trump’s move to cancel $4.9 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid is “unlawful,” arguing that the president does not have the authority to cut funds without approval from Congress.
Collins, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, said in a statement: “GAO [Government Accountability Office] has concluded that this type of rescission is unlawful and not permitted by the Impoundment Control Act. Article I of the Constitution makes clear that Congress has the responsibility for the power of the purse. Any effort to rescind appropriated funds without congressional approval is a clear violation of the law.”
Why It Matters
The last time a president used what’s known as a “pocket rescission” was in 1977 under Jimmy Carter. The Trump administration argues the tactic is legal, but if it becomes routine, it could give the White House power to bypass Congress on major spending decisions, weakening lawmakers’ control over federal funds.
The 1974 Impoundment Control Act allows presidents to propose canceling funds, but Congress must approve or reject those requests. By sending the proposal so close to the September 30 fiscal deadline, the administration ensures the money will expire before Congress has a chance to act.
What To Know
In a letter sent Thursday to House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, President Trump invoked a pocket rescission—a rare maneuver in which the president asks Congress to withhold funds at the end of the fiscal year.
The White House Office of Management and Budget posted the letter Friday on X, saying $4.9 billion in cuts would come from the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which has long been a target of Trump’s efforts to scale back foreign aid.
Trump has previously won congressional approval for rescissions. In July, both chambers agreed to $9 billion in cuts, including reductions to foreign aid and public broadcasting. Still, shrinking foreign assistance has been a signature goal for the administration, even though the savings are small compared to the federal deficit and may harm U.S. influence abroad.
In February, the White House announced plans to end nearly all USAID contracts and cut $60 billion in global aid. The agency has since been dismantled, with programs shifted under the State Department. Just this week, the administration asked the Supreme Court to overturn lower court rulings that preserved foreign aid programs, including those supporting global health and HIV/AIDS relief, which Trump has tried to block.
What People Are Saying
Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the president’s decision, saying: “Since assuming office, President Trump has been committed to rooting out fraud, waste, and abuse from the U.S. government, saving American workers billions of dollars.
“Now, for the first time in 50 years, the President is using his authority under the Impoundment Control Act to deploy a pocket rescission, canceling $5 billion in foreign aid and international organization funding that violates the President’s America First priorities. Among items being canceled are $2.7 million for ‘inclusive democracy’ programs in South Africa, $4 million for ‘global LGBTQI+ awareness,’ and for the ‘Global Labor Program.’ None of these programs are in America’s interest, which is why the President is taking decisive action to put America and Americans first.”
Senator Collins, who has often clashed with President Trump on issues such as Pete Hegseth’s nomination as defense secretary and tariffs on Canadian produce, also criticized the move: “Congress has received from the Administration a $4.9 billion package of proposed rescissions of funding that had been previously appropriated for a wide range of foreign aid programs. Given that this package was sent to Congress very close to the end of the fiscal year when the funds are scheduled to expire, this is an apparent attempt to rescind appropriated funds without congressional approval.
“Instead of this attempt to undermine the law, the appropriate way is to identify ways to reduce excessive spending through the bipartisan, annual appropriations process. Congress approves rescissions regularly as part of this process. In fact, the year-long funding bill that we are currently operating under includes 70 rescissions. This month, the Appropriations Committee intends to markup the Fiscal Year 2026 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs bill. The annual funding bill is the most appropriate way to ensure that any rescissions reflect the views of Congress.”
What Happens Next
Lawmakers have 45 days to respond to the request, but the timing ensures the money will lapse before then. This is the first time in nearly five decades that a president has used a pocket rescission, with the fiscal year ending September 30.
If the practice becomes standard, it would let presidents bypass Congress on major spending decisions and disrupt lawmakers’ ability to fund the government as the new fiscal year begins in October.
Collins, first elected to the Senate in 1996, is seeking a sixth term in November 2026.
