Budget Cuts Series 2021: Slashing Foreign Aid

Our Budget Cuts Series is unfortunately back again and there's a ton to cover from the grotesque fiscal year 2021 budget that Trump, Mulvaney and crew puked out at us in mid-February 2020.  We'll cover it topic by topic in the coming week.

Trump is about to propose a budget that leans much more heavily on military... than diplomatic prowess....to deal effectively with global crises. 

The proposal included slashing foreign aid by 21%.  The Trump administration has long been hostile to foreign aid. Just last year the White House looked to cut more than $4 billion from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the State Department. 

How are we going to achieve the ambitious goals of containing China and Russia, as outlined in the Trump's National Security Strategy, if we cut foreign assistance?

The problem, however, is that this foreign aid funding isn’t just charity: Taking nearly $12 billion out of the foreign aid budget would severely harm US diplomatic efforts. For one, giving nations money they need to keep volatile situations stable enhances global security, and could actually prove cost-effective to the US if the money helps prevent catastrophe at home or abroad down the line.

The proposed foreign aid cuts immediately drew fire from retired Adm. Mike Mullen, who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2007 to 2011. "The more we cut the international affairs budget, the higher the risk for longer and deadlier military operations," Mullen said in a letter to congressional leaders.

Fortunately we elected a Democratic House in November of 2018.

Trump has proposed massive cuts to aid in each of his budget proposals. Congress, which holds the power of the purse, has ignored those past requests.

... budget document is expected to be quickly dismissed by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives.

Sources:

https://www.npr.org/2020/02/10/803897900/trump-to-again-propose-slashing-foreign-aid-in-budget

https://www.vox.com/2020/2/10/21131273/trump-budget-fy2021-foreign-aid-nuclear