In a dramatic 51–48 vote on Wednesday, July 16, the U.S. Senate approved President Trump’s controversial proposal to slash $9.4 billion in federal spending, including funds for foreign aid, NPR, and PBS. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives, expected to pass it by July 18, per CNN.
This move follows Trump’s earlier executive order halting funding for NPR and PBS, citing “biased reporting” — a decision that sparked a lawsuit from NPR and several Colorado radio stations claiming press suppression.
The administration defends the cuts as part of a push to eliminate “wasteful” government spending. Critics, however, call it a dangerous attack on public media and global aid.
