President Donald Trump has opted not to utilize $4.9 billion in approved foreign aid, employing a rare tactic known as “pocket rescission” for the first time in 50 years. This approach involves submitting a request to Congress near the end of the fiscal year to withhold allocated funds, preventing Congressional action within the 45-day timeframe and leading to unspent funds. The current fiscal year concludes at the end of September.
The Trump administration contends that this tactic is legally permissible and highlights that the last instance of pocket rescission occurred in 1977 during President Jimmy Carter’s term. If widely adopted by the White House, this strategy could circumvent Congress on significant spending decisions and potentially shift some spending control away from the legislative branch.