‘We’ll go nuts’: Trump allies threaten political blowup if Senate GOP doesn’t pass his $9.4 billion spending cuts

Senate Republican leaders are working to pass President Donald Trump’s $9.4 billion request to cut funding for foreign aid and public broadcasting programs. The package targets global health programs, AIDS prevention efforts, and local radio stations across the country. House Republicans already passed the bill last month without making any changes.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune can only lose three GOP senators and still get the bill passed. The South Dakota Republican admits it’s unclear what the final bill will look like when it reaches the Senate floor. Some Republican senators want to make changes to protect certain programs they think are important.

According to Politico, Trump allies are warning of serious political consequences if the Senate fails to act. Senator John Kennedy from Louisiana said that if the bill fails, the White House “will go nuts” and that it would be an “embarrassment to the president.” Kennedy added that if Senate Republicans don’t pass the package after talking about reducing spending, “they should hide their head in the bag, and I think the White House will provide the bag.”

Senate Republicans split on protecting key programs

Several GOP senators are looking at ways to change the package to save funding for programs they support. Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins of Maine and Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota want to protect money for public broadcasting and AIDS prevention programs. Collins has already said she doesn’t support cuts to PEPFAR and child and maternal health programs.

Senator Mike Rounds is worried about small-town radio stations losing their funding. He told reporters that these stations are “literally the only way to get out an emergency message” in many communities. However, Rounds noted that White House budget director Russ Vought promised to work on protecting funding for public radio stations if Congress passes the overall package.

Alaska Republican Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski have also said they want changes to the bill. Sullivan is still seeking votes on amendments but hasn’t explained what those changes might include. The narrow Republican majority means any amendments must follow strict Senate rules, and senators are asking the Senate parliamentarian for guidance on what changes they can make.

Time is running out for Congress to act. The request Trump sent to Capitol Hill last month expires at the end of July 18. If Congress doesn’t pass the package by then, the administration will be forced to spend the money as lawmakers originally planned. This would prevent Trump from requesting the same cuts again. The package includes reductions that Elon Musk made as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) before he left his Trump administration role, rescissions that are now facing legal scrutiny.