Trump moves to cut $5bn in foreign aid already approved by Congress

The Trump administration has initiated a rare fiscal maneuver called a pocket rescission to cut $5 billion in previously approved foreign aid. This controversial action aims to claw back funds allocated by Congress earlier this year, including $3 billion for USAID, $900 million in State Department funds, $800 million for international peacekeeping, and over $300 million for promoting democracy abroad. The White House justified the cuts as part of efforts to address "woke, weaponised, and wasteful" government spending, though the legality of this approach has been questioned by experts and lawmakers who view it as bypassing Congress's constitutional power over federal spending.