It looks like President Donald Trump's proposed budget -- which drastically slashes funding to the State Department and the Environmental Protection Agency while boosting funds for the military and the Department of Homeland Security -- is about to run into a brick wall in Congress.
An unnamed Republican Congressional leadership aide tells New York Times reporter Glenn Thrush that Congress has already become accustomed to ignoring directives and suggestions from the Trump White House, as much of the time they seem far removed from the realities of federal budgeting.
"Its a joke," the aide said of Trump's budget. "We've learned not to listen to anything he says or does. We're on our own."
The Trump budget would gut EPA spending by 31%, while also slashing State Department spending by 28%. The plan would also eliminate federal funding for popular programs such as Meals on Wheels, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Congressional Republicans have grown increasingly frustrated with Trump's habit of making wild, unsupported assertions, such as his claim that former President Barack Obama ordered an illegal wiretap of Trump Tower.
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-CA) on Wednesday threatened to subpoena the Trump administration to get any evidence it has to back up Trump's wiretapping claim, which marked a sharp departure in tone from a congressman who is normally a staunch Trump ally.
