‘Into the woodchipper’: Elon Musk’s DOGE cuts exposed as illegal as Trump begs Congress to make them legit

President Donald Trump has submitted a $9.4 billion rescissions package to Congress, seeking approval for spending cuts that his administration has already illegally implemented. The request, delivered Tuesday night, aims to formally slash funding for various programs, including NPR, PBS, and multiple foreign aid initiatives.

According to MSNBC, the move represents a significant shift in approach, as it tacitly acknowledges that the administration’s previous unilateral withholding of congressionally appropriated funds was unlawful. Under the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, the president cannot unilaterally withhold funds allocated by Congress without their approval.

Among the affected agencies is USAID, which has been effectively dismantled months ago, with Elon Musk notably boasting that the agency had been fed “into the woodchipper.” This action resulted in illegal contract terminations and employee layoffs, leading to lawsuits against the administration for bypassing Congressional authority.

Massive cuts target public broadcasting and international aid programs

The largest single cut in the package would eliminate $1.07 billion allocated to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting over the next two fiscal years. Other significant cuts include $437 million from UNICEF and UN programs, $400 million from HIV/AIDS initiatives like PEPFAR, and $496 million from International Disaster Assistance.

Despite the substantial figures involved, the $9 billion package represents only a fraction of the $2 trillion in savings that Musk originally promised through DOGE, and an even smaller portion of the annual $6.8 trillion federal budget. The administration’s request faces significant hurdles in Congress, where historically such rescission packages have rarely succeeded.

Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought has indicated this is “the first of many rescission bills” and suggested the administration might continue withholding funds even without congressional approval. This stance has sparked concern about executive overreach in budgetary matters.

The package’s approval would require only Republican votes, but many lawmakers are hesitant to publicly support specific program cuts. Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins noted the historical rarity of successful rescission packages, highlighting the political challenges ahead. Meanwhile, Musk, who recently departed his quasi-official government role, has expressed disappointment with Congress’s response to DOGE’s cuts, describing the House’s megabill as a “pork-filled abomination.”