President Trump’s decision to continue clawing back federal spending despite reaching a spending deal with lawmakers is causing tension in the shutdown negotiations. The President’s willingness to ignore Congress’s constitutional power to allocate funds has led Democrats to demand guarantees that he will not undo any agreements they reach.
In recent months, the White House has pushed through legislation to officially rescind billions of dollars in federal spending, a move that Trump and his advisers have promised would be repeated if necessary. This move has complicated the shutdown fight, as lawmakers are unsure whether any agreement reached will hold once Trump takes office.
Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked a stopgap spending bill needed to reopen the government, showing no signs of relenting on their demand for Republicans to negotiate an extension of Obamacare subsidies set to expire at the end of the year. The White House’s repeated efforts to unilaterally cancel congressionally approved spending has fueled anger among Democrats.
Trump has accelerated his campaign to usurp Congress’s spending power during the shutdown, including announcing plans to pause or cancel nearly $28 billion in funding that primarily benefited Democratic-led cities and states. He has also fired thousands of federal workers, while cushioning the blow for agencies and constituencies he supports.
A handful of Republicans have opposed the rescissions sent to Congress from the White House, arguing that any cuts in previously approved spending should be negotiated as part of the regular appropriations process. Democrats want legislation barring the White House from pursuing rescissions and requiring the administration to spend money as Congress directs.
The shutdown remains unresolved, with no clear resolution in sight. The issue has become a major obstacle to striking a spending deal to reopen the government.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/16/us/politics/trump-unilateral-spending-cuts-shutdown.html