Suffering from signer’s remorse, President Trump now wants Congress to repeal some of the $1.3 trillion spending bill he signed into law last month.
“We are looking at an enhanced rescission package,” new White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow confirmed on “Fox News Sunday.”
The massive spending package beefed up domestic and military spending but didn’t include the money that Trump wanted to build his wall on the Mexican border and a legislative fix to protect young undocumented immigrants under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
The bipartisan deal was forged in Congress to keep the government funded through September.
Trump and Republicans got an earful from their base about adding to the deficit and not demanding border wall funding.
Now, the White House is working with Congress on new legislation to undo some of the spending.
“I think the Republican Party on the Hill has finally figured out it’s really not a bad idea to trim some spending,” said Kudlow, White House National Economic Council Director. “Because after all, spending can lead to deficits and spending interferes with the economy. ”
“President Trump is a deregulator and a tax cutter. We want a much more modest government role,” he continued.
Trump had initially threatened on Twitter to veto the spending bill but caved into signing the hard-fought bipartisan deal to avoid a government shutdown.
Now, the White House and GOP leaders in the House and Senate are drafting a plan to rescind billions of dollars in spending, Axios reported Sunday.
One possible target could be foreign aid.
Negotiators set a target of a $60 billion claw back but have acknowledged a smaller goal is more likely to pass the GOP-controlled House and Senate.
Congress returns to work this week following a two-week spring break recess.