The Trump administration is considering a proposal that would reduce the state department budget by $ 27 billion, almost half, and close smaller embassies and consulates worldwide.
The proposal requires the elimination of funds for more than 20 international organizations, including the United Nations, NATO and the organization of American States, a diplomatic source in possession of the document to Fox News Digital said.
The United States contributed around $ 13 billion to the United Nations in 2023 and around $ 3.5 billion to NATO. The proposing budget requires the allocation of $ 2 billion for the priorities of “America first.” These coffers could be used for “specific partners” such as India and Jordan, according to the document, or broader priorities, such as the South Pacific Tuna Treaty.
However, a state department spokesman said Tuesday: “There is no final plan, final budget.”
Pete Marocco, intellectual author behind dismantling or USAID projects, leaves the State Department
A new draft of the White House proposal would eliminate the UN funds. (Anthony Bear/SIPA USA (SIPA through AP images)
The proposal is an early draft and has to approve focus layers within the administration before it even reaches Congress. Congress can take it as a scheme, but finally elaborates its own budgetary figures.
The budget and benefits of foreign service travel would be reduced, and the Fulbright scholarship program would be eliminated.
The document requires a 2% reduction in diplomatic security, cuts to the inspector general office and at the close of smaller embassies in countries such as the Maldives, Malta, Luxembourg and the Central Republic of Africa.
It also proposes a 54% cut for world public health funds, with sizes for malaria, HIV and tuberculosis, and a complete elimination of international peace maintenance funds.
The proposal requires the elimination of NATO financing. (Jacquelyn Martin/Pool through Reuters)
When asked about the duration of the Budget Plan, an informative session of the State Department, spokesman Tammy Bruce said: “Through the history of the United States, everyone has a budget plan and all have ideas for budgets. Their own ideas, which happen most of the time.”
“There is no final plan, final budget,” he emphasized.
The Trump administration has moved quickly to dismantle foreign aid, eliminating almost 90% of USAID projects and merging the agency with the State Department and disburseing institutions of “soft power” such as Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Europe.
The State Department will absorb the Usaid Revover program as the independent agency is dismantled
The state department spokesman Tammy Bruce said the final budget proposal sent to Congress would be for President Donald Trump. (Donald Trump 2024 campaign)
The White House Budget will be transferred to Congress next month before the Chamber and the Senate led by Republicans work to approve bills of approval for each government agency.
Meanwhile, the agencies are expected to present their own reorganization plans to the White House this week, describing what cuts they believe are necessary to further reduce the federal government. The State Department has not yet publicly detailed its plans to reduce size.
As reports arose, the Democrats warned that American adversaries would fill the emptiness left by the United States worldwide.
The cuts “would leave only our country and exhibit and allow China and Russia to fill the vacant vacuum for this administration,” according to Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, NH, Top Democrat in the Foreign Relations Committee.
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“Why would we reduce funds for NATO in a time when war is in Europe and security threats in the continent grow?” She added.
It is not clear if the Secretary of State Marco Rubio supports the initial proposal. “I want to know the secretary Rubio directly,” said Senator Brian Schatz, Hawaii, to the top Democrat in the Senate approval subcommittee that manages state financing, qualifying the “deeply worrisome” reports.
