The war on poor kids

Late Friday afternoon, the Trump administration released the details of its 2026 budget request. The 1,223-page document proposes slashing around $163 billion in non-defense spending. That isn't nearly enough to offset the trillions in tax cuts the administration is simultaneously seeking in the reconciliation bill. But the spending cuts would have severe consequences for the most vulnerable Americans, especially poor children.

For example, the Trump administration is reducing funding that helps pregnant women, children, and breastfeeding mothers who are nutritionally at risk afford fruits and vegetables. Approximately 6.7 million people currently benefit from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), including 1.5 million pregnant and post-partum mothers, 1.5 million infants, and 3.7 million children under the age of five. To qualify, a beneficiary must live in a household with an income at or below 185% of the federal poverty line and be deemed nutritionally at risk by a healthcare professional or other expert.

Research has shown that the program reduces healthcare costs, leads to improved academic achievement, and results in "fewer infant deaths, premature births, and low birthweight infants."

The current fruit and vegetable benefit is modest, and only covers about half of the cost of the recommended daily servings of fruit and vegetables for mothers and young children. Nevertheless, the Trump budget would cut the monthly benefit for fruits and vegetables for pregnant mothers from $54 to $13. Young children living in poor families would see their monthly fruit and vegetable benefit reduced from $27 to $10.

The administration's budget document provides no justification for these cuts. Trump has justified other reductions in social safety net programs as a way to encourage beneficiaries to work or eliminate waste and fraud. But this cut impacts millions of infants and children under five. Previously, WIC has enjoyed bipartisan support. In the 50 years since the program was started, its funding has never been reduced.

Georgia Machell, president and CEO of the National WIC Association, said that Trump's budget "takes healthy food off of children's plates" and "would deprive struggling families of the essential nutrition they need during critical developmental stages."

It is one of several provisions in the Trump budget that would harm poor children.

Kicking kids out of their homes

One of the deepest cuts in the Trump budget targets the rental assistance programs administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, including Housing Choice Vouchers and Section 8 assistance. The Trump budget cuts these programs by $26.72 billion, which is a 42% reduction.

There are currently 10.1 million people who rely on these programs to keep a roof over their heads. Of that total, 5.6 million beneficiaries are in families with children. (Most of the rest are seniors or people with disabilities.)

The drastic cuts mean that millions of families with children will no longer be able to afford a place to live. The reason why many families cannot afford housing without federal assistance is not due to a lack of employment. "60% of non-disabled, working-age American households receiving Department of Housing and Urban Development rental assistance include at least one worker," according to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. The problem is that since 2001, median rent has increased by 23%, but the median income of a renter household has increased by just 5%. These households do not benefit from the two largest federal housing subsidies — the mortgage interest deduction and the capital gains exemption for the sale of a principal residence.

The Trump budget also eliminates several federal programs to increase the supply of affordable housing.

In the 2021-22 school year, an "estimated 1.2 million American school children lived in shelters, on the street, doubled up with other families, or in hotels or motels." If federal housing assistance is cut by over $26 billion in 2026, that number is likely to increase dramatically.

Taking an ax to pre-K

Preschool Development Grants is a federal program that helps states improve their early-childhood educational systems for children up to age five. States compete for a portion of the grant funding available — $315 million in fiscal year 2024. The money is used to help states offer "high-quality early education to more working families." The funding "helps millions of children have access to safe, quality child care and early learning that can help set them on a strong path for their futures."

States use the money for various purposes. Kansas, for example, used some funding "to identify and reduce regulatory burdens associated with operating state child care businesses." Maryland provided training to early education providers to "improve quality among programs for infants and toddlers as well as preschool-age children." Ohio's grant funded "partnerships between early childhood providers and businesses to increase wages and improve recruitment and retention."

Preschool Development Grants have earned praise from members of both parties. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey (R) said the program helped the state "support the scaling of high-quality programs of early childhood care and education, so we can ensure our children are prepared for further education, a career and a lifetime of success." South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster (R) said a Preschool Development Grant allowed "our state to continue coordinated efforts to give [young people] the best possible start for a bright future."

The Trump budget proposal eliminates funding for Preschool Development Grants. Overall, the Trump budget cuts funding for K-12 education by $4.5 billion.