Trump overrules Special Olympics cuts

President Donald Trump, after several days of criticism, said Thursday he was backing off a budget request to cut funding for the Special Olympics. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos defended the proposed cut earlier this week as one of the “tough choices” her department had to make as it sought to reduce the 2020 budget by $7 billion. The plan would have cut funding for the sports organization for people with disabilities by $17.6 million, about 10 percent of the group’s overall revenue.

Trump told reporters Thursday he had heard about the cuts that morning and ordered his people to reinstate the funds. DeVos praised the move, 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.”