Trump Responds to Special Olympics Funding Controversy: 'I Have Overridden My People'
President Donald Trump says he is backing off his budget request to eliminate funding for the Special Olympics, reversing course on a proposal that was unlikely to be approved by Congress after days of bipartisan criticism.
Speaking to reporters Thursday as he left the White House for a rally in Michigan, Trump said he had authorized funding for the organization.
“I heard about it this morning,” he said. “I have overridden my people. We’re funding the Special Olympics.”
Trump’s announcement came after Education Secretary Betsy DeVos spent days defending the proposal, which drew widespread condemnation from lawmakers as well as advocates and celebrities.
“I’ve been to the Special Olympics. I think it’s incredible,” Trump said.
DeVos, walking back her defense of the cuts proposal, issued a statement, saying: “I am pleased and grateful the President and I see eye to eye on this issue and that he has decided to fund our Special Olympics grant. This is funding I have fought for behind the scenes over the last several years.”
The remarks were in contrast to her comments to Senate Democrats in a budget hearing earlier in the day. DeVos said her department had to make “tough choices” on the budget and insisted the Special Olympics should be supported through private donations.
In a heated exchange with Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., DeVos said she “wasn’t personally involved” in pushing for elimination of the funding, but she defended it as her agency seeks to cut $7 billion for the 2020 budget. “Let’s not use disabled children in a twisted way for your political narrative,” she said.
The president’s shift Thursday was not the first time he has undermined a top aide. He repeatedly went after former Attorney General Jeff Sessions in public and private and clashed openly with former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, ultimately firing him.
The Trump administration’s education budget proposal called for the elimination of $17.6 million in funding for the Special Olympics, amounting to roughly 10 percent of the group’s overall revenue. Most of its funding comes from individual and corporate contributions and other fundraising efforts.
The Special Olympics is the largest sports organization in the world for people with intellectual disabilities, with over 5 million athletes from 174 countries participating in competitions. The organization celebrated its 50th anniversary last year.
Trump officials previously called for the elimination of Special Olympics funding in their budget proposal for 2019, but Congress rejected the idea. Lawmakers from both parties said they would reject it again for 2020.
Durbin told DeVos on Thursday that it would be shameful to pull support for the Special Olympics, saying “someone has to accept responsibility for a bad decision.”
Asked Thursday whether he supports the proposed cut, House Minority Leader Kevin, McCarthy, R-Calif., told reporters, “No. I fully support Special Olympics.”
Before Trump’s announcement, his campaign pointed out the Democrats’ stance on abortion.
Deputy Communications Director Matt Wolking tweeted Thursday: “I’m sure Democrats who see abortion as the cure for Down syndrome and other disabilities are sincerely concerned about kids having the chance to be in the Special Olympics.”
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
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