President Trump's proposed reduction in funding for foreign aid has emerged as one of the most controversial elements of a budget filled with cuts that have rankled interest groups of all stripes.
Democrats and Republicans have both criticized the $10.1 billion decrease in State Department funding that the White House included in its 2018 budget blueprint. The 28 percent cut would leave intact funding for embassy security, assistance to Israel and support for HIV/AIDS and malaria treatment programs.
But other areas including climate change research, funding for United Nations initiatives and development assistance would see dramatic cuts under the president's plan. And a handful of programs described as "duplicative," such as the Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance account, would be eliminated entirely.
Mick Mulvaney, Trump's budget director, said the administration had shuffled funding around the federal government to prioritize "hard power" over soft. The $54 billion in spending increases directed mostly toward the Pentagon would boost military might, the White House has said, and accompanying cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development and State Department would dilute the role of "soft power" tactics such as diplomacy and aid.
"Foreign assistance is not charity; it is a pillar of U.S. engagement around the world," Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., told the Washington Examiner. "President Trump's budget proposal fails to recognize the effectiveness of these investments and the importance of diplomacy and development."
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01.15.2025