President Donald Trump pledged to make permanent the $157 billion in federal spending cuts identified by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), though only $9.4 billion is included in a current rescissions package to Congress.
Standing with Musk at the White House, Trump praised DOGE’s work and cited cuts to DEI programs, foreign aid, and NPR/PBS as examples.
Additional reductions are expected in a future legislative package. Trump said the House-passed “big, beautiful bill,” which includes further cuts, will soon be considered in the Senate. However, House Speaker Mike Johnson warned that Senate Republicans may weaken the bill by removing key provisions, such as limits on nationwide injunctions by judges. Johnson also defended the bill’s Medicaid reforms, denying claims of cuts and emphasizing efforts to curb fraud. He criticized benefits for undocumented immigrants and able-bodied adults who refuse to work, calling the reforms “a moral imperative.”
