Trump Sent Congress ‘Anomaly’ Funding Requests Before Shutdown Deadline/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The White House has submitted a list of “anomaly” requests—special funding exceptions—to Congress ahead of the September 30 government shutdown deadline. While the move is routine for crafting stopgap spending bills, it could trigger partisan clashes depending on what’s inside. Republicans are urging a clean short-term bill, but Trump’s requests could complicate negotiations.
Trump’s Anomaly List and Budget Talks — Quick Looks
- White House submits “anomaly” funding requests to Congress ahead of shutdown
- Anomalies are exceptions to prior-year funding included in stopgap bills
- President Trump’s list includes specific funding and authority changes
- Content of the list not made public as of Tuesday
- GOP appropriators and leadership had been waiting for this list to begin drafting a CR
- Senate GOP wants a “clean” stopgap to ease bipartisan talks
- Anomalies on immigration or law enforcement could spark clashes with Democrats
- House Speaker Mike Johnson confirms GOP leaders await more direction from Trump
- Duration of the stopgap remains a point of internal debate
- House, Senate negotiating a possible “minibus” with 3 FY2026 spending bills
Deep Look: Trump Sends Congress His Anomaly Wishlist as Shutdown Deadline Nears
WASHINGTON, D.C. — With just over three weeks remaining before a potential government shutdown, the White House quietly sent Congress a list of “anomalies”—a technical term for requested exceptions to existing funding laws that would be embedded in a short-term continuing resolution (CR) to keep federal agencies operating past September 30.
The list, which has not yet been made public, was confirmed by two congressional aides familiar with the matter and by Rachel Cauley, an aide to White House Budget Director Russ Vought. The request sets the stage for potentially tense negotiations over how Congress will fund the government in the short term.
What Are Anomalies?
In the context of federal budgeting, anomalies refer to temporary changes in spending authority or funding levels that deviate from prior-year appropriations. These are typically included in stopgap spending bills to address urgent needs or updated costs, such as disaster relief, new agency missions, or inflationary adjustments.
But what’s inside the list matters—and could mean the difference between a smooth bipartisan agreement or a bruising partisan showdown.
“These requests shape how Congress writes the CR,” said one GOP aide. “Depending on what the White House asks for, it could be very simple — or very messy.”
Trump’s Priorities Could Complicate Talks
Although the exact content of the Trump administration’s request is still under wraps, previous anomaly lists have included items such as:
- Boosted funding for immigration enforcement
- Expanded law enforcement operations
- Military deployment expenses
- Disaster recovery allocations
- Health care program flexibility
Any request tied to immigration policy, border security, or federal policing, in particular, could become lightning rods for Democratic opposition. These are issues that have frequently derailed prior spending negotiations and would again pit the White House against Capitol Hill Democrats.
House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) acknowledged Tuesday morning that lawmakers had been waiting on the anomaly list before writing the first draft of a continuing resolution.
“We’ve had good discussions,” Cole said, referring to conversations with Senate counterparts about attaching three fiscal 2026 spending bills to the CR in a “minibus” package.
GOP Wants a ‘Clean’ Stopgap, But Clock Is Ticking
On Monday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune urged that any short-term spending measure remain “clean” and free of controversial riders, to increase the likelihood of bipartisan cooperation and avoid a shutdown.
“We need something lean, focused, and easy to pass,” Thune said. “That means minimal anomalies, if any.”
But with Trump’s list now in lawmakers’ hands, it remains to be seen whether Republican leadership can maintain that simplicity — especially with internal GOP divides on how long the CR should last.
House GOP Waiting on Trump
In a closed-door meeting with House Republicans on Tuesday, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) acknowledged that appropriators are still awaiting further direction from Trump before finalizing a plan.
According to three individuals present, Johnson confirmed that the anomaly requests would guide GOP spending decisions and that he remains flexible on strategy — either backing a CR or pushing toward conference negotiations with the Senate.
Notably, Johnson avoided addressing how long the stopgap should last. While Democrats and some GOP leaders are leaning toward a November or December extension, Trump-aligned conservatives are pushing for a longer CR that would extend into 2026, avoiding the need for a bipartisan deal in an election year.
The Minibus Option
Despite the brewing partisan risk, there is a parallel bipartisan effort underway to attach three full-year appropriations bills to the CR. These include funding for:
- Military Construction and Veterans Affairs
- Agriculture and Food Safety
- Energy and Water Development
This strategy would allow Congress to make incremental progress on fiscal 2026 appropriations while keeping the rest of the government open under existing funding levels.
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