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27 November 2024
Trump pulls the (power of the) purse strings
In his efforts to drastically reduce government spending, President-elect Trump has been speaking publicly about a little-known presidential power: impoundment. Congress approves the budget each year, but impoundment is when a president does not spend some of the allocated money.
He was talking about this power during the Republican primary, but now he has appointed Russell Vought, a key author of Project 2025 and presidential impoundment advocate to head up the Office of Management and Budget.
Thomas Jefferson was the first president to use the power of impoundment, but it has not been used by modern presidents due to the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 which says that if Congress doesn’t approve a presidential impoundment, the money is allocated as Congress intended. A challenge of this check and balance would likely go to the US Supreme Court who have recently ruled to strengthen presidential powers.
If Trump triggers impoundment, it won’t be the first time. Trump’s impoundment of military aid for Ukraine was a key focus of his first impeachment trial.
NEWS WRAP
Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire announced
Biden and Macron broker ceasefire | Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a 60-day ceasefire in a deal negotiated by US President Biden and French President Macron. Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu said Israel agreed to the ceasefire to focus on the nuclear threat from Iran, to increase their force for future missions and to “isolate Hamas.” READ MORE
Trump tariffs 2.0 | On Truth Social on Monday, President-elect Trump said he would impose 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada from day one in office. He claimed this was in response to the uncontrolled flow of immigrants and illegal drugs from both countries into the United States. READ MORE
Texas tunes out maternal deaths | Shortly after ProPublica reported the death of a third Texas woman due to delayed care following a miscarriage, the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee said they wouldn’t examine maternal deaths in 2022 and 2023. Citing the desire to reduce the administrative backlog, this would mean pregnancy-related deaths shortly after the introduction of the Texas abortion ban will not be assessed. READ MORE
COP29 ends with whimper | The UN’s 29th climate conference ended with a US$300B deal to support developing nations combat climate change. However, delegates broadly panned the amount, with India’s Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change calling it a “paltry sum”. READ MORE
Jack Smith winds up federal cases | Two weeks after announcing he would step down from his role as Special Counsel before President-elect Trump takes office, Jack Smith put in a motion to dismiss the two federal cases against Trump. Citing the precedent of not prosecuting a sitting president, this ends two of the most significant cases against the former and future president. READ MORE
It reminds us that peace is possible. Say that again, peace is possible
President Biden announcing Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire | 26 November 2024
BY THE NUMBERS
5 | Number of Project 2025 picks for Trump administration
Five major nominees for appointments in the second Trump administration have ties to Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s guidebook for a Republican administration. While frequently distancing himself from it on the campaign trail, Trump has appointed two authors of the book to key positions in his administration: Russ Vought for Director of the Office of Management and Budget and Brendan Carr for Federal Communications Commission chairman.
“Border Czar” Tom Homan, CIA Director appointee John Ratcliffe and US Ambassador to Canada nominee Pete Hoekstra were also contributors to the book. Vice President-elect JD Vance did not contribute directly to Project 2025, but wrote a foreword for a book by Heritage Foundation leader Kevin Roberts and Russ Vought said he was in “regular contact” with Vance’s Capitol Hill office during the drafting.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Did you USSC?
- COMMENTARY | How Trump can build on Biden's successes in Asia by Dr Michael Green
- COMMENTARY | What the election of Donald Trump means for Asia-Pacific energy by Georgia Edmonstone
- COMMENTARY | AUKUS: we pay our way by Prof. Peter Dean
- COMMENTARY | Podcasting as presidential campaign outreach by Dr Rodney Taveira and Ava Kalinauskas
- PODCAST | USSC Briefing Room | DC insiders on Trump’s victory and next steps with Dr Michael Green, Lester Munson and Mari Koeck
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University of Sydney NSW 2006
