Here we go again. Another test of whether Senate Republicans have the backbone to stand with President Trump—or whether they’ll fold to the same tired pressures from the D.C. establishment and left-wing media. This time, it’s about a modest but critical $9.4 billion in spending cuts—Trump’s rescissions package—that cleared the House by the skin of its teeth. Now, with a Friday deadline looming, the Senate is wavering. And conservatives across the country should be paying close attention.
Let’s be clear: these aren’t random or reckless cuts. This package goes after some of the most bloated, ideologically driven, and unnecessary spending in the federal budget. It slashes $1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which props up left-wing outlets like NPR and PBS with your tax dollars. And it claws back $8.4 billion from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), a globalist slush fund that spends billions overseas while American communities are struggling at home.
President Trump is doing exactly what he promised—draining the swamp, cutting waste, and putting America First. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), formerly run by Elon Musk, identified over $190 billion in wasteful spending. This $9.4 billion is just the opening salvo. But already, the usual suspects in the Senate are trying to water it down.
Senator Susan Collins of Maine, a perennial moderate, wants to strip out the cuts to PEPFAR, a well-known program fighting HIV/AIDS in Africa. Senator Mike Rounds is worried about federal funding for rural radio stations. Are these concerns legitimate? Maybe. But they miss the bigger point: our nation is drowning in $34 trillion of debt. We can’t keep throwing money around like it’s Monopoly cash. If we can’t even agree to cut 0.2% of the federal budget, what are we doing?
As Rep. Andy Biggs and other House conservatives rightly put it, “This rescission package just scratches the surface.” And yet, the Left is already howling. Why? Because even the smallest rollback of their sacred cows—like taxpayer-funded liberal media and massive foreign aid programs—sends them into a frenzy. They’ve gotten used to a government that grows endlessly, spends recklessly, and answers to nobody. Trump is finally changing that.
Let’s not forget: this isn’t just a policy debate. It’s a gut check for the Republican Party. Do we support the America First agenda or not? Do we believe in limited government, or are we just pretending? The House stepped up. They passed the bill 214 to 212, despite pressure from the usual lobbyists and interest groups. Now it’s the Senate’s turn. And every conservative senator needs to hear this loud and clear: if you gut Trump’s spending cuts, you’re gutting your own credibility.
The process is on a fast track. Because this is a rescissions bill, it only needs 51 votes in the Senate—not the usual 60. That means Republicans can pass it without begging Democrats for support. It also means there are no excuses. With a slim majority, every vote counts—and every senator who claims the mantle of fiscal conservatism should be on board.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune says a vote could come as soon as tomorrow. That’s good. But what matters is the substance of the final bill. If it’s been hollowed out by amendments and carve-outs, it will be a loss—not just for Trump, but for every taxpayer who’s tired of watching Washington waste their money.
The stakes here are bigger than $9.4 billion. They’re about whether the Republican Party is serious about governing. They’re about whether we can finally break the cycle of runaway spending and bureaucratic bloat. And they’re about whether we still have leaders in Washington who will stand with the president and follow through on the promises that got them elected.
The American people are watching. The GOP base is watching. And you can bet President Trump is watching. Senate Republicans have a choice: defend the taxpayers who sent them to Washington—or cave to the swamp that’s been running this town for decades.
Hold the line. Pass the full rescissions package. No excuses.
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