In a narrow vote held early Friday, the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives approved President Donald Trump’s controversial $9 billion funding cut to public media and foreign aid, pushing the legislation forward to the White House for final approval.

The bill passed by a slim margin of 216 to 213, following Senate revisions that preserved approximately $400 million in funding for PEPFAR, the global HIV/AIDS prevention initiative. The decision marks a significant shift in the U.S. government’s spending priorities, particularly regarding international assistance and public broadcasting.

Only two Republicans, Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Mike Turner of Ohio, joined Democrats in opposing the measure.

“We are taking one small step to cut wasteful spending, but one giant leap towards fiscal sanity,” declared Representative Aaron Bean, a Republican from Florida. Bean also advocated for similar budget cuts to be introduced on a monthly basis as part of the administration’s broader fiscal strategy.

Democrats strongly criticized the move. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries warned that the cuts “undermine our ability to keep our people safe here and to project America's soft power all over the globe.” He also emphasized that the decision could significantly affect rural communities’ access to emergency alerts and public radio information.

The cuts, if signed into law by President Trump, will have immediate consequences for public broadcasters, international aid programs, and potentially for the U.S.'s diplomatic influence worldwide.