Trump's $9 Billion Clawback Passes First Senate Test, While More Hurdles Await

President Donald Trump’s clawback of billions successful backing for overseas assistance and nationalist broadcasting narrowly passed done its first hurdle successful nan Senate, but it still faces a rocky roadworthy up pinch dissent among nan Senate GOP ranks.

Senate GOP leaders hoped that an statement to carve retired $400 cardinal successful world HIV and AIDS prevention backing will get immoderate of nan holdouts connected board. However, doing truthful shrank nan expected cuts from $9.4 cardinal to $9 billion.

But a trio of Senate Republicans joined pinch each Senate Democrats to ballot against advancing nan measure from nan Senate Appropriations Committee, which required Vice President JD Vance to formed nan deciding vote. 

Trump's rescissions package would yank slope congressionally approved backing for overseas assistance programs and nationalist broadcasting. But immoderate Senate Republicans person sounded nan siren and want changes made to nan measure earlier it reaches nan decorativeness line.

SENATE GOP BRACES FOR TEST VOTE ON TRUMP'S $9.4B CLAWBACK PACKAGE

President Donald Trump gives a thumbs up to reporters arsenic he walks connected nan South Lawn upon arriving astatine nan White House connected July 13, 2025, successful Washington. (AP/Jose Luis Magana)

The measure that precocious retired of committee Tuesday includes conscionable awkward of $8 cardinal successful cuts from nan U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and complete $1 cardinal from nan Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), nan government-backed backing limb for NPR and PBS.

Republicans’ successful trial ballot comes aft huddling pinch Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought, who worked to statement up support and use unit from nan White House to get nan shot rolling connected nan bill.

"We're good pinch adjustments," Vought said. "This is still a awesome package, $9 billion, [it's] substantially nan aforesaid package, and nan Senate has to activity its will."

'GUT CHECK TIME': DISSENT AMONG SENATE GOP RANKS THREATENS TO REDUCE TRUMP'S SPENDING CUT DEMAND

Senate Majority Leader John Thune. (Getty)

While concerns were still raised astir different aspects of nan spending cuts package during nan closed-door meeting, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., believed that carving retired nan cuts to Bush-era President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) helped easiness concerns among lawmakers.

But nan changes didn't sway each Senate Republicans. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, bluntly said "no" erstwhile asked if nan PEPFAR carveout helped summation her support and argued, "I'd for illustration to do immoderate legislating." 

"What a crazy thing, what a crazy thing," she said. "What person we been doing astir here? We did a reconciliation bill. We're doing a rescissions bill. We're doing nominations. Nominations are important, but let's, like, legislate."

And Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said she liked nan changes but yet decided to ballot against advancing nan measure done its first hurdle. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., besides joined successful to ballot against nan bill. 

TRUMP'S PLAN TO SLASH 'WOKE' FOREIGN AID, NPR FUNDS CLEARS HOUSE AS SENATE BATTLE LOOMS

Senator Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, speaks to members of nan media pursuing nan Senate Republican argumentation luncheon astatine nan US Capitol successful Washington connected June 4, 2025.  (Getty Images)

It now moves to yet different procedural vote, which, if successful, will unfastened up 10 hours of full statement clip connected nan measure and yet group nan shape for a vote-a-rama, wherever lawmakers connected either broadside of nan aisle tin connection an unlimited number of amendments to nan package.

But, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., made clear that he would for illustration nan Senate not make immoderate changes to nan bill.

However, that petition already fell connected deaf ears — arsenic it did during nan fund reconciliation process that unfolded successful nan precocious enclosure past month.

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Those demands already person fiscal hawks successful nan House grumbling, but for illustration nan fund reconciliation process earlier it, an amended rescissions package will apt glide done nan House GOP and onto Trump’s desk.