The Trump administration previously used a pocket rescission maneuver for about $4 billion in foreign assistance funds.
Posted by The Lawfare Podcast, Checked
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- 5 support2 context
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- Confidence
- 93%
The Lawfare PodcastOct 8, 2026
Multiple independent outlets (Reuters, NPR, Politico, CBS, ABC) report that in September 2025 the Trump administration used a pocket rescission to withhold about $4 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid, and the Supreme Court allowed it to proceed.
What was said
… appropriated federal funding, time so the money will expire at the end of the fiscal year on September 30, before the 45 days Congress has to review the rescission request ends, essentially, at least in the view of the White House, voiding those funds. It's the second time the Trump administration has used the maneuver, after the Supreme Court let the pockery set about 4 billion dollars in foreign assistance funds go forward last year. Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, a fellow Republican with President Trump, and Democratic appropriators have denounced the move as illegal. …
The Lawfare Podcast · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Supports. Reuters reports that the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to withhold about $4 billion in foreign aid authorized by Congress, with the case centering on a pocket-rescission-style withholding.[1]
Supports. Politico describes the Supreme Court ruling as effectively blessing Trump's 'pocket rescission' of $4 billion in foreign aid previously appropriated by Congress.[3]
Supports. NPR and CBS both report the Supreme Court cleared the way for the administration to withhold over $4 billion in foreign aid already approved by Congress.[4][5]
Supports. ABC News describes the administration's move to effectively cut $4 billion in foreign aid as a 'pocket rescission' that the Supreme Court allowed, with the funds expiring before Sept. 30.[6]
Context. The AP reported in August 2025 that the pocket rescission covered $4.9 billion, and the Supreme Court ruling was on an emergency docket and not a final merits decision; the 'about $4 billion' figure is consistent within rounding.[2][7]
Sources
7 sources: 2 fact-checkers, 3 tier 2, 2 not rated
- 1US Supreme Court lets Trump withhold $4 billion in foreign ...reuters.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports
- 2Trump asks Supreme Court for emergency order to keep ...apnews.com · fact-checker · cited for: context
- 3Supreme Court clears way for Trump to withhold $4B in ...politico.com · tier 2 · cited for: supports
- 4Supreme Court allows Trump to withhold $4 billion in ...npr.org · tier 2 · cited for: supports
- 5Supreme Court lets Trump withhold $4 billion in foreign aid ...cbsnews.com · tier 2 · cited for: supports
- 6Supreme Court allows Trump to cut $4B in foreign aid in ' ...abcnews.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 7Trump blocks foreign aid, using maneuver last seen nearly ...standardspeaker.com · not rated · cited for: context
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
Related claims
- The Trump administration performed a pocket rescission of $800 million across multiple programs.True
- The Trump administration requested a pocket rescission of $810 million in federal funding.True
- The Trump administration is using the rescission process to refuse expenditures that Congress has directed.True
- The Supreme Court allowed a pocket rescission of about $4 billion in foreign assistance funds to go forward in 2025.True
- The current pocket rescission involves $800 million in funds.True