Donald Trump: Billions in US budget cuts planned for environment and education

US PresidentDonald Trump (78) is planning to cut the federal budget in the hundreds of billions of dollars. The plans are to be published and submitted to Congress this Friday, a government official said in Washington on Thursday (local time).

The White House's annual budget request includes economic forecasts as well as detailed proposals for how much money each government agency should spend for the 2026 fiscal year, which begins October 1. However, Congress is responsible for spending legislation—what lawmakers pass is usually quite different from what the president requests.

The proposed budget will also include more than $160 billion in cuts to the environment, renewable energy, education, and foreign aid, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing administration officials. Trump campaigned on reducing government size.

With the help of the efficiency authority DOGE, headed by billionaire Elon Musk (53), several agencies have already been closed and tens of thousands of employees laid off. However, several court cases are still pending regarding the legality of this approach.

Trump wants to cut spending at the broadcasters National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). He issued an executive order to cut funding for the two non-commercial broadcasters. Specifically, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which is responsible for public funds for NPR and PBS, was instructed to stop directly funding both stations to the greatest extent legally possible.

Trump's executive order is one of a series of moves by the president to crack down on institutions he dislikes by withdrawing federal funding. NPR and PBS had previously warned that cutting funding would have devastating effects on providing Americans with reliable information, even in emergencies. CPB was established by Congress in 1967 and funds more than 1,500 local radio and television stations.

Trump's Republicans in the U.S. Congress are aiming to pass extensive tax cuts by the July 4 holiday. Trump said this week that he would propose a military budget of more than $1 trillion. The tariffs he has imposed on almost all countries should raise revenue and offset shortfalls from the tax cut.

Trump is not expected to be in Washington when his budget is released. He concluded a week-long celebration of his first 100 days in office with a speech to graduates of the University of Alabama on Thursday evening before flying to West Palm Beach, Florida, for the weekend.