Pocket rescission of $1B
The gist
Trump cancelled almost $1 billion in federal funding via "pocket rescission," bypassing Congress.
The move tests Congress's power of the purse.
How it unfolded
- 1977What was essentially the last pocket rescission occurred when President Jimmy Carter rescinded it; the Trump administration argues the tool is legally permissible since Carter had proposed the clawback well ahead of the 45-day deadline.
- A year agoTrump issued a pocket rescission for the first time in nearly 50 years, blocking $4.9 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid; the Supreme Court declined to block it, citing Trump's authority over foreign affairs.
- 2025Trump used the tactic again to unilaterally cut roughly $5 billion in congressionally approved funding; the Supreme Court allowed the administration to keep the money.