By The Post Staff | August 3, 2025
WASHINGTON — In a major political victory for former President Donald Trump, the U.S. Senate late Friday night passed a sweeping rescission bill slashing billions in federal spending — a move hailed by conservatives and slammed by Democrats as “reckless austerity.”
The bill, backed fiercely by Trump and his allies in Congress, reverses over $120 billion in previously approved spending, targeting unused COVID-era relief, green energy subsidies, and what Republicans call “wasteful bureaucratic bloat.”
🇺🇸 TRUMP CELEBRATES: “THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING”
Trump wasted no time taking a victory lap on Truth Social, writing:
“THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WIN AGAIN! We’ve CUT the waste, DRAINED the swamp, and put WASHINGTON on NOTICE. This is just the beginning.”
The bill — officially titled the American Fiscal Responsibility Act — passed in a tight 51–49 vote, with all Republicans voting yes, joined by Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV).
📉 WHAT’S BEING CUT?
The rescission package includes:
- $37 billion from unspent COVID-19 emergency funds
- $28 billion in climate-related energy tax credits
- $15 billion in Department of Education grant programs
- $10 billion from IRS enforcement expansions
- $8 billion from transportation earmarks deemed “non-essential”
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who helped draft portions of the bill, said:
“This is a long-overdue step toward fiscal sanity. We can’t keep printing money like Monopoly cash.”
🧨 DEMOCRATS: “ECONOMIC SABOTAGE”
Democrats blasted the bill as an attack on working Americans, warning it could lead to cuts in essential services.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) called it “economic sabotage in the name of ideology,” arguing that the rescissions would hurt students, small businesses, and clean energy jobs.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) declared:
“This is a MAGA stunt. They’re cutting programs that help real people just to score political points.”
Still, moderates like Manchin defended the move, saying:
“This is about getting our house in order, not hurting people. We have to show we’re serious about the debt.”
💬 PUBLIC REACTION: DIVIDED, BUT INTERESTED
Initial public reaction to the cuts appears mixed. According to a Quinnipiac poll conducted after the bill’s passage:
- 53% of Americans say they support cuts to unused COVID funding
- 47% oppose cuts to IRS and education spending
- 60% of Republicans say the bill “restores trust in Washington”
- 65% of Democrats call it a “thinly veiled political attack”
⚖️ WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The bill now heads to the House of Representatives, where Trump-loyal Speaker Elise Stefanik (R-NY) has promised a “swift vote.” Analysts expect the measure to pass comfortably, though House progressives may try procedural blockades.
President Joe Biden has not yet indicated whether he will sign or veto the legislation. While some administration officials hinted at a potential compromise, insiders say Biden is “deeply concerned” about cuts to education and energy programs.
🔮 BIGGER FIGHTS AHEAD?
Conservatives are already signaling more cuts to come.
House Budget Chair Byron Donalds (R-FL) teased future legislation that could go after Social Security waste, foreign aid programs, and the Department of Education’s bureaucracy.
“We’re just getting warmed up,” Donalds said. “If Democrats thought this was bad, wait till they see what’s next.”
🧠 BOTTOM LINE
With this rescission bill, Trump and Senate Republicans have shown they’re willing to slash government spending and reclaim the budget narrative — whether Democrats like it or not.
And with the 2026 midterms on the horizon, one thing is clear:
The battle over America’s checkbook has just begun.
Want this in graphic form for social media, or a headline video script for YouTube or TikTok? Just ask — I’ll format it perfectly.
