The Trump administration is pushing a new plan to freeze billions of dollars in spending at several federal agencies. This move aims to reduce Congress’s control over the federal budget.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently told multiple agencies to halt more than $30 billion in spending on various programs. This is in addition to $9.4 billion in cuts the House approved last week.
OMB Director Russ Vought, who supports expanding presidential power over federal spending, is leading this effort. The freeze affects agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Science Foundation, and the departments of Interior and Health and Human Services.
The freeze includes funds for research, education, national parks, and climate science, including over $100 million at NASA. Although the president has some control over spending, the Constitution gives Congress the power to set the budget. Vought’s plan challenges this principle by ordering spending freezes before seeking Congress’s approval.
The White House plans to send Congress a budget “deferrals” package. This would temporarily delay spending but requires congressional approval to become permanent. Critics say freezing funds first violates the 1974 Impoundment Control Act and Congress’s constitutional role. Joseph Carlile, a former OMB official, called the move illegal and said the administration is testing the limits of presidential power.
White House officials describe the freeze as a way to enforce cuts recommended by the Department of Government Efficiency, backed by Trump supporter Elon Musk. The administration has kept the plan quiet, communicating mainly by phone to avoid records. Vought has openly criticized the impoundment law and seeks Supreme Court validation to weaken Congress’s budget authority.
The House’s $9.4 billion rescissions package cuts funding for NPR, PBS, and foreign aid. Vought expects to send more rescissions packages. The White House may also use “pocket rescissions,” submitting cuts near the fiscal year’s end so Congress has little time to act, making cuts automatic if lawmakers do not approve.
This strategy is part of a broader plan to delay or block funds ahead of a possible debt ceiling fight this summer. The administration argues that reaching the debt limit justifies deferrals to save money. The debt ceiling is expected to be hit by late August.
OMB spokesperson Rachel Cauley said the office is working to make the cuts permanent using all available tools under the law and presidential authority. The freeze could lead to legal battles, possibly reaching the Supreme Court, as it tests the boundaries of the Impoundment Control Act.
Read more:
