Trump Plans Massive Federal Cuts

The Trump administration is preparing to slash the federal budget by $10.5 trillion dollars over the next 10 years by cutting major programs in federal departments, privitizing public broadcasting and eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The Hill is reporting the cuts and says that Trump transition staffers have already met with career staff at the White House to work on plans for dramatically downsizing the federal bureaucracy.

The plans include the cutting of major programs at the departments of Commerce and Energy.  Some would be eliminated entirely and some would be transferred to other departments.  The Trump transition team is also planning to eliminate and/or cut some programs at the departments of State, Justice and Transportation.

The Hill reports that the cuts closely follow a Heritage Foundation blueprint report last year.  The conservative think tank has supplied staffers on the Trump transition team.

Rachel Bovard, director of policy services for Heritage, told CBN News that the authors of the report looked for areas of waste, duplication and overreach.  She cited programs like the Department of Agriculture's $14 million Catfish Inspection Program as one they'd like to eliminate.  

Apparently the cabinet heads nominated by the president-elect have not been apprised of the budget plans which would significantly affect the agencies they're being asked to run.  The White House budget office is expected to share its proposals soon after Trump takes office on Friday.

The budget offices of each department will then review the plans and be able to offer changes before Congress considers the president's budget.  Congress is responsible for approving the federal budget and appropriating funds.

Right now it's not clear whether or not Trump's budget will include cuts to Social Security and Medicare.  The entitlement programs are considered to be major deficit drivers but Trump vowed on the campaign trail not to cut them.  

On Wednesday, Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) told lawmakers in his confirmation hearing for Secretary of Health and Human Services, that Trump continues to stand by that pledge.