Trump: ‘No way’ to ‘unilaterally’ cut funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development

Donald Trump on Friday suggested that he would never “unilaterally” cut funding to the Department on the same day he unveiled his proposed budget for fiscal year 2019, saying that he did not “want to put a knife to someone’s head.”

The president’s proposed budget, which is expected to be unveiled Saturday, proposes a $10 billion cut to the department, a 25 percent cut from what was approved last month by Congress, and cuts to the White House Office of Management and Budget, the State Department, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Trump has said that the cuts would be permanent.

“We’re not going to unilaterally cut people off,” Trump said during a news conference Friday.

“We have to do it right, and that’s why I don’t want to put the knife to somebody’s head.

I want to be a very, very smart guy, very, many smart people, and I will make sure that we get it done right.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump said that if the administration does not make cuts in 2018, he would push Congress to reauthorize the programs.

“You’ll be asking me this question: Will we be OK with that?” he asked.

“I want to get it right.”

On Wednesday, the House passed a $1.1 trillion spending bill that would reauthorify programs in a series of short-term spending bills.

The Senate is expected later this month to pass its own spending bill, and Trump is expected on Friday to unveil his proposed 2018 budget.

The Trump administration has argued that its proposed budget will fund the nation’s programs more quickly than previous ones, and would save billions of dollars in the process.

The White House said in May that its plan would not only save money, but would also reduce the federal debt.