New White House Budget Proposal Seeks $163B in Cuts

The White House released the Trump administration’s fiscal 2026 budget proposal Friday, which seeks $163 billion in cuts to various federal programs.

The Details: The “skinny budget” proposes cuts to the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Justice, Labor, State, and the Treasury, the Corps of Engineers, Environmental Protection Agency, NASA, the National Science Foundation, and the Small Business Administration. It proposes increased funding to the Defense, Homeland Security, and Transportation departments, and Veterans Affairs. The National Science Foundation (NSF) would take the largest percentage cut of 55.8%, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would receive the largest percentage increase of 64.9%.

For Context: The Trump administration reportedly intends to shift the focus of some programs that are taking cuts, or leave funding up to the states; however, the decision on the allocation of funds largely lies with Congress.

How The Media Covered It: NewsNation (Center bias) provided a breakdown of the budget’s impact on various programs, noting that cuts under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have “left many agencies with greatly reduced capacity.” Washington Examiner (Lean Right) stated that the budget is “not expected to be passed in full.” It continued, “While fiscal hawks might tout the proposed cuts in the White House budget and Democrats are sure to blast it over the deep spending reductions, the budget is essentially aspirational.” Washington Examiner voiced supporting arguments for the proposal and noted where President Donald Trump’s campaign promises would be fulfilled. Politico (Lean Left) called the cuts “unprecedented” and noted the impending government shutdown deadline in September. It also highlighted legislative controversies surrounding the Trump administration’s actions and gave voice to congressional Republicans who objected to the proposal.

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