Senate Challenges Trump Budget Cuts to Foreign Aid, Public Broadcasting

President Donald Trump is pushing a legislative package known as the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which includes tax cuts and reductions in social safety net programs, particularly Medicaid, to stimulate economic growth. However, public opinion polls show less than 30% support for the bill, amid concerns that Medicaid cuts could harm lower-income Americans and rural hospitals, leading to protests and some Republican dissent. Concurrently, the Senate is reviewing a $9.4 billion rescissions package proposed by the Trump administration, aimed at cutting foreign aid and public broadcasting funds, which has drawn bipartisan criticism and fears of negative impacts on programs like PEPFAR and rural communities. White House budget chief Russell Vought defended these cuts, highlighting the administration’s stance against what it calls wasteful spending on initiatives like LGBTQ advocacy abroad, but lawmakers, including Republicans, questioned the appropriateness of cutting funds recently approved by Trump. Additionally, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), established under Trump, is credited with identifying significant federal spending savings and reducing regulatory burdens, yet congressional action is deemed necessary to fully realize these budgetary reforms. The administration faces a complex balancing act between advancing fiscal conservatism and managing political fallout within its own party and among the public.