Trump Publicly Criticizes Senator Susan Collins for Defying Him
In a recent turn of events, Maine Sen. Susan Collins has voiced her opposition to a key initiative backed by President Donald Trump and his allies. The Rescission Act of 2025, specifically, a bill aimed at rescinding $9 billion in previously approved government funding for foreign aid and public media, has drawn Collins's criticism.
The Senate passed the bill narrowly, with Collins and Sen. Lisa Murkowski joining Democrats in opposition. Their primary concern was the lack of transparency regarding which specific programs would be cut. Collins, as the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, criticized the Trump administration’s Office of Management and Budget for providing minimal detail on the cuts.
The bill primarily targeted roughly $8 billion in foreign aid, including funds for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and public broadcasting like NPR and PBS. The Senate removed a $400 million cut to the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) during the amendment process and rejected further Democratic amendments attempting to protect more programs.
President Trump's broader effort to cancel what he described as "wasteful" programs in foreign aid and public media funding, including programs linked to family planning, reproductive health, LGBTQI+ activities, and equity programs, has been met with resistance from Sen. Collins. The status as of mid-July 2025 is that the Senate has passed the amended rescission bill, and it awaits final approval by the House within days.
This is not the first time Collins has drawn Trump's ire. In the past, Trump has criticized Collins, accusing her, along with other Republican senators, of playing into the hands of the Radical Left Democrats and Drug Cartels for voting to revoke his tariffs on Canada.
In a separate post on Truth Social, Trump accused Collins, along with three other Republican senators, of playing with the lives of the American people. However, it's important to note that Trump's post did not contain any criticism of Collins or any other specific senator regarding the Rescissions Act of 2025.
Trump also wrote in his Truth Social post that Republicans should vote against Collins. He stated that the Senate needs to save the country from the Lunatic Left. Trump urged Senate Republicans to confirm all nominees without delay and suggested that the Senate should stay in session without recess until the entire Executive Calendar is clear.
Collins, who is up for reelection in 2026, has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration's policies, particularly those that she believes lack transparency and detail. As the Rescissions Act of 2025 moves forward, it will be interesting to see how Collins's opposition will impact the bill's final approval.
References: [1] Roll Call. (2025, July 17). Senate passes Trump's rescissions bill. https://www.rollcall.com/2025/07/17/senate-passes-trumps-rescissions-bill/ [2] The Hill. (2025, July 17). Collins, Murkowski oppose Trump's rescissions bill. https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/514797-collins-murkowski-oppose-trumps-rescissions-bill [3] Politico. (2025, July 17). Senate passes Trump's rescissions bill. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/17/senate-passes-trumps-rescissions-bill-000589 [4] The Washington Post. (2025, July 18). Trump's rescissions bill faces uncertain future in House. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/07/18/trumps-rescissions-bill-faces-uncertain-future-house/
- Sen. Susan Collins' opposition to the Rescission Act of 2025, which targets foreign aid and public media funding, highlights her concern about the lack of transparency in the Trump administration's policy-and-legislation.
- The Senate's passage of the amended Rescission Act of 2025, containing cuts to foreign aid programs like the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and public broadcasting, has sparked a debate over health policy and general-news coverage.
- The broader controversy surrounding President Trump's efforts to cancel certain programs in foreign aid and public media funding, such as those linked to family planning, reproductive health, LGBTQI+ activities, and equity programs, intersects with ongoing discussions in politics and war-and-conflicts.
