A sharp divide is emerging in Washington over the latest Trump budget proposal, as Senate Republicans signal unease over sweeping domestic spending cuts paired with a major boost to defense funding.
Susan Collins, who chairs the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, publicly criticized elements of the White House’s fiscal 2027 budget blueprint on Friday, raising doubts about whether the plan can secure congressional approval.
“While the Administration proposes a budget, Congress holds the power of the purse,” Collins wrote in a post on the social platform X.
The proposal from Donald Trump outlines a dramatic shift in federal spending priorities, including $1.5 trillion for defense, a roughly 42% increase while slashing $73 billion from non-defense programs. Several domestic initiatives tied to housing, healthcare, environmental protection, and community development are targeted for cuts, with the administration labeling some as unnecessary or ideologically driven.
Collins, who faces a competitive reelection race in Maine, did not hold back in outlining what she described as “several shortcomings” in the plan. Among her top concerns are reductions to biomedical research funding and the elimination of programs aimed at supporting vulnerable Americans.
“These are proven programs that I strongly support,” Collins wrote.
Programs on the chopping block include the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Job Corps, and initiatives designed to help low-income and first-generation college students. Collins also flagged proposed cuts to the Essential Air Service program, which helps maintain commercial flight access in rural communities a critical issue for states like Maine.
“After careful review, Congress decisively rejected these particular cuts last year,” Collins noted.
Her opposition reflects broader tensions within Congress, where lawmakers from both parties have historically resisted deep cuts to widely used domestic programs. Collins herself previously broke ranks with her party, joining two other Republicans in voting against Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” last year.
At the same time, the administration is pushing for an additional $350 billion to fund what it describes as “critical Administration priorities,” including expanding the defense industrial base and increasing munitions production. Officials aim to pass parts of the plan through the budget reconciliation process, which allows legislation to advance in the Senate with a simple majority rather than the usual 60-vote threshold.
Looking ahead, Collins confirmed that the Senate Appropriations Committee will begin a series of hearings to scrutinize the proposal in detail.
“The Senate Appropriations Committee will now hold hearings with cabinet members and agency heads to review these recommendations and to explore other fiscally responsible proposals,” Collins said.
She also called for bipartisan cooperation during the review process, adding: “I hope my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, who too often worked over the last year to impede the appropriations process and shut down federal agencies, will abandon their harmful tactics and work with us to govern responsibly.”
Democrats were quick to reject the proposal outright. Patty Murray, vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered a blunt assessment.
“President Trump wants to slash medical research to fund costly foreign wars. It doesn’t get more backward than that, and the only responsible thing to do with a budget this morally bankrupt is to toss it in the trash,” Murray said in a statement.
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