The Trump administration has been canceling grants and using other tools to avoid spending money it does not want to spend.

What we found

Supports. An AP analysis reports the administration cut or froze up to $177 billion in federal grants across all 50 states in its second term.[1]

Supports. CBS and CNN report the White House sent an approximately $810M to $1B 'pocket rescission' in late September 2026, a tactic in which funds are effectively canceled by timing the request near the fiscal year end, which they describe as a way to avoid spending money the president does not wish to spend.[3][4]

Supports. A Boston Globe report on a court-document admission says the White House canceled grants, including Energy Department grants recommended for cancellation, and describes the budget being used as a tool against policy opponents.[5]

Supports. A Reuters report describes a federal judge temporarily blocking HUD from canceling nearly $56 million in housing counseling grants, confirming that cancellations were occurring.[2]

Context. EdWeek reports that abrupt grant cancellations have slowed, but the Education Department is using quieter procedures that result in fewer new grants, which fits the claim's 'other tools' framing.[6]

Sources

6 sources: 2 fact-checkers, 2 tier 2, 2 not rated

1. 1Trump administration has cut or frozen $177 billion in grants ...apnews.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports
2. 2US Judge blocks housing grant cuts while anti-DEI challenge proceedsreuters.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports
3. 3Trump cancels nearly $1 billion in spending approved by ...cbsnews.com · tier 2 · cited for: supports
4. 4Trump admin cancels funding for refugees, immigrant detainees and others | CNN Politicscnn.com · tier 2 · cited for: supports
5. 5Trump administration admits canceling grants to states that did not vote for himbostonglobe.com · not rated · cited for: supports
6. 6Trump’s Ed. Dept. Is Still Disrupting Grants—Just More ...edweek.org · not rated · cited for: context

Where this claim was made

Said in 1 published post

• The Lawfare Podcast · Oct 8, 2026“There's all kinds of other things that the Trump administration has been doing to try and not have to spend money that it doesn't want to spend, short of proposing it for rescission, sending that message to Congress too close to the end of the fiscal year. There's all kinds of other stuff they've been doing. They've been canceling grants. They've been, like, lots of other high jinks.”Post →

Related claims

• The Trump administration is using the rescission process to refuse expenditures that Congress has directed.True
• 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 sent Congress a request to cancel $810 million in federal funding on September 25, 2026.True
• The Trump administration has cut funds for election security.True