The Trump administration performed a pocket rescission of $800 million across multiple programs.
Posted by The Bulwark Daily, Checked
- Sources
- 6 support1 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 90%
The Bulwark DailySep 29, 2026
Multiple tier1 and primary sources (Reuters, AP, GAO-related reporting, Senate statements) report that the Trump administration announced a pocket rescission of roughly $800 million in Congress-approved funds across multiple programs and accounts (11 accounts across several agencies), so the claim matches the sources; the post's 'story over the last few days' wording is consistent with the late-September announcement.
The guest relays this claim without endorsing it. It counts as passed on, not against the post.
What was said
… the money and decides how it's going to be spent, once it goes to OMB, he thinks that he can kind of override Congress and redirect the money, however he would like to do it. That is not true. Congress needs to fight him on that. And I don't know if you saw, there was a story over the last few days where they did another pocket rescission for $800 million across a bunch of programs. And now members of Congress, I don't know if they're pretending, you know, Susan Collins was listening to the story, saying that she is concerned about it. …
The Bulwark Daily · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Supports. Reuters reports Trump sought to unilaterally withhold more than $800 million in Congress-approved spending on immigration, race and education programs, framed as a pocket rescission.[1][5]
Supports. AP reports the president announced intent to impound more than $800 million from 11 appropriations accounts, and the GAO reviewed the pocket rescission and found it impermissible.[2]
Supports. The GAO general counsel concluded the pocket rescission violates the Impoundment Control Act, and Senate statements from Reed and Murray confirm the $800M-plus pocket rescission was announced at the end of September.[3][4][6]
Context. CBPP reports the administration withheld roughly $800 million across 11 program accounts with less than a week left in the fiscal year, and describes it as the second pocket rescission.[7]
Sources
7 sources: 2 fact-checkers, 2 primary, 3 not rated
- 1Trump seeks to withhold $800 million in Congress-approved fundsreuters.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports
- 2Watchdog says Trump can't cancel more than $800M in spending ...apnews.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports
- 3[2026-09-30] After Federal Watchdog Rules Trump's $810M Funding...reed.senate.gov · primary source · cited for: supports
- 4Murray on GAO Concluding Trump's Pocket Rescission is Illegalmurray.senate.gov · primary source · cited for: supports
- 5White House orders over $800M in funds rescindedgoodmorningamerica.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 6Congressional Watchdog Says Trump’s ‘Pocket Rescissions ...washingtonsun.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 7Administration Again Illegally Impounds Federal Fundscbpp.org · not rated · cited for: context
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
Related claims
- The Trump administration is using the rescission process to refuse expenditures that Congress has directed.True
- The current pocket rescission involves $800 million in funds.True
- The White House sent Congress an $810 million pocket rescission request on September 25.True
- The Trump administration previously used a pocket rescission maneuver for about $4 billion in foreign assistance funds.True
- The Trump administration sent Congress a request to cancel $810 million in federal funding on September 25, 2026.True