President Trump had asked for significant reductions in government spending, but lawmakers mostly rejected his proposals. Instead, they approved only slight changes or maintained funding for many programs he sought to cut. Despite this, the White House was able to scale back the size and reach of government by firing thousands of federal workers. The president’s actions on budgeting reflect a complex dynamic between austerity measures and essential spending.
Congress has rejected the majority of President Trump’s proposed cuts to various federal agencies, including education, healthcare, and research programs. Instead, lawmakers have maintained funding for many of these programs or made only slight reductions.
The White House initially proposed $163 billion in deep spending cuts, but Congress largely ignored this request. However, the administration was able to achieve some victories, such as scaling back the size and reach of government by firing thousands of federal workers.
The president’s efforts to cut funding for medical research, college aid, and antipoverty programs were rejected by lawmakers. Instead, they preserved these programs or made only minor changes.
Despite rejecting most of Trump’s spending cuts, Congress did make some notable exceptions. For example, lawmakers maintained funding for the National Institutes of Health and NASA, despite the president’s efforts to cut their research budgets.
The White House has signaled its intention to continue trying to revoke spending it opposes, with or without Congress. The administration will likely push for more significant spending cuts in future budget proposals.
Lawmakers have expressed concerns about the president’s actions on budgeting, citing the need for bipartisan cooperation and the importance of maintaining essential funding for programs like Pell grants and the National Science Foundation.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/us/politics/trump-congress-budget-cuts.html