Trump Administration Looking To Cut Spending Abroad, Rein In ‘Wasteful’ Programs

The Trump administration is looking to make major cuts to some foreign aid, such as programs promoting crop diversity in Bangladesh, in the hopes of reining in government spending.

The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is working with the State Department to identify areas where they can slash foreign spending, primarily on programs they view as wasteful, a senior administration official told the Daily Caller.

Politico reported on Thursday that the requested cuts sent to Congress in the rescissions package could be as high as $4.3 billion, including $2.3 billion from USAID and $2 billion from the State Department.

“They’d be sabotaging these missions and ensuring untold suffering for millions of innocent civilians who rely on the missions for protection,” Jordie Hannum, executive director of the Better World Campaign, told Politico. “If we cut funds for U.N. Peacekeeping missions around the world, our country will be less safe. This is a direct threat to U.S. national security.”

However, the administration official described the cuts as much more targeted at specific programs.