This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here.
One big thing to know about Trump’s budget
Yes, it’s radical. But no, it’s not on the cusp of becoming law.
Patrick Reis was the senior politics and ideas editor at Vox. He previously worked at Rolling Stone, the Washington Post, Politico, National Journal, and Seattle’s Real Change News. As a reporter and editor, he has worked on coverage of campaign politics, economic policy, the federal death penalty, climate change, financial regulation, and homelessness.
Welcome to The Logoff: The White House proposed a fiscal 2026 budget today that would radically alter where the government spends money — but it’s a proposal that’s a long, long way from becoming law.
What’s in the budget? Sharp cuts to funding for disease research, education, renewable energy, the social safety net, and other non-defense expenditures. Big spending increases for the military, for the border, and for immigration enforcement.
I don’t like that. Should I freak out? Not yet. Only Congress has the authority to set spending levels, which will be the product of long negotiations between the two parties before they send a deal to the White House for Donald Trump’s signature. The administration’s budget proposal matters because it will influence congressional Republicans as they negotiate, but some Republicans are already balking at Trump’s proposal, and Democrats have enough Senate votes to block a budget they can’t live with.
When does the current budget expire? End of September, so expect negotiations to heat up around summer’s end.
Is this Trump’s “big, beautiful bill”? Nope. This is a proposal for a one-year budget. That bill is a package of tax cuts, spending changes, and other proposals that would extend out for years. We expect to see more congressional action on that front later this month.
And with that, it’s time to log off: If you’re up for a post-work podcast, Today, Explained has a great episode about doomsday preppers and the people who get rich off of them. If you’re interested in something lighter, here’s a before-he-was-famous video from Saturday Night Live cast member James Austin Johnson. It’s been five years, and I still can’t stop laughing at his impression of Trump weighing in on Scooby Doo. Thanks so much for reading. See you back here Monday.
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