Trump Budget threatens to spark new fight among Republicans

Washington

REPUBLICAN US Representative Todd Rokita keeps a clock hanging on the wall of his Capitol Hill office which tracks the US government's rising debt in real time and reminds him of his top priority: reining in federal spending.

"I was sent here on a fiscal note," said the Indiana lawmaker and vice-chairman of the House of Representatives Budget Committee, who rode a Republican wave during his first election to Congress in 2010.

When President Donald Trump unveils his Budget for the 2018 fiscal year on Thursday, Mr Rokita will be among many conservative Republicans cheering proposed cuts to domestic programmes that would pay for a military build-up.

More moderate Republicans are less enthusiastic and worry Mr Trump's Budget could force lawmakers to choose between opposing the president or backing reductions in popular programmes such as aid for disabled c…