President Donald Trump has made it clear that Republican senators who do not back the administration’s $9.4 billion rescission bill will face the loss of his endorsements. In a social media post, Trump highlighted the significance of cutting $1.3 billion from public media funding, asserting that PBS and NPR are worse than CNN and MSNBC. The Senate is set for a vote on the rescission package, with several senators advocating for amendments to protect public media funding.
Key figures such as Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins and Alaska Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan have expressed concerns over potential cuts, particularly regarding public media. Collins, set to face reelection, criticized the proposed reductions in global AIDS prevention funding and other health programs, urging possible adjustments to the package. The political landscape is tight, with Republicans only able to afford losing support from three senators before relying on Vice President JD Vance for a tie-breaking vote. Any proposed amendments would need to be re-approved by the House by July 18 to prevent the forced spending on the targeted programs.