Trump’s $9.4 Billion Spending Cut Proposal Faces Scrutiny from Moderate Republicans

The future of President Donald Trump’s request for $9.4 billion in spending cuts now lies with a small group of moderate House Republicans. The House is set to discuss this measure Thursday afternoon, which aims to cut $8.3 billion from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and redirect over $1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to NPR and PBS.

Nevertheless, concerns have been raised by at least four GOP lawmakers regarding various elements of the proposed package. House Republican leaders hold a very narrow majority, just three seats. This means any significant dissent could potentially derail the entire bill.

Among the four Republicans—Mark Amodei (R-Nev.), David Valadao (R-Calif.), Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), and Don Bacon (R-Neb.)—there’s uncertainty about how they will ultimately vote. They did, however, support a procedural vote that allows for discussion on the proposal.

Amodei, who serves as co-chair of the Public Broadcasting Caucus, mentioned to Fox News Digital that he isn’t overly concerned about cuts impacting NPR and PBS. He noted, “These aren’t the people doing the editorial board that’s turning birds over you. They play an essential role in their communities.”

Amodei, familiar with the government funding process, added that many rural areas depend heavily on public broadcasting funds. He emphasized, “It’s easier for people to raise money if they’re compensating for funds they’ve lost.”

Valadao, representing a swing district in California, voiced uncertainty about the bill’s chances. He declined to elaborate on his reservations when approached by Fox News Digital.

Malliotakis, for her part, stated that while local Republican voters are keen to save PBS funding, her main concern lies with the overall process. “I think there are a lot of questions that members have, especially regarding programs being cut,” she remarked. “We should be the ones directing where the funds go. I have reservations…we’ll see how things unfold.”

Bacon shared that he felt more encouraged about the legislation after being assured that cuts to foreign aid wouldn’t negatively affect crucial medical research funding. However, he didn’t clarify if his initial concerns regarding PBS and NPR had lessened.

The $9.4 billion proposal, known as the Recissions Package, is designed to prevent the White House from unilaterally approving funding. Lawmakers will be given 45 days to approve it; otherwise, it will automatically be considered rejected.

Such measures require only a simple majority to pass in both the House and Senate, which, given the current narrow Republican margins, could be quite challenging. Republican leaders view this bill as potentially the first in a series of packages aimed at implementing spending cuts identified by Elon Musk’s Government Efficiency initiative.

Musk originally aimed to uncover $2 trillion in federal waste, but has reportedly identified about $180 billion so far. House GOP leaders have praised the proposal, calling it a common-sense approach to restoring fiscal discipline and eliminating fraud, waste, and abuse in government spending.