Pump! Trump wants to cut US financing to NATO

Proposal provides for almost 50% reduction in the budget of the State Department and elimination of resources for multilateral entities, says NYT

The US government, under the leadership of Donald Trump, studies a plan to significantly reduce resources for international organizations, including the United Nations (UN) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

The information was released by The New York Times on Monday, 14, based on official sources and an internal memorandum obtained by the publication.

According to the newspaper, the budget proposal provides for the reduction of almost half of the state department’s budget and the cut of almost all financing directed to multilateral entities.

The measures would also achieve peacekeeping operations, global health programs, educational and cultural exchange initiatives, as well as humanitarian assistance actions. For the latter, the cuts would exceed 50%.

A Associated Press Confirmed the existence of the plan and, according to the agency, a high government official described the budget sketch as “aggressive” in its objectives of cost containment. The proposal, however, still needs to be subjected to various internal evaluation instances before being sent to Congress for deliberation.

Among the central points of the plan is the restructuring of international financing of the United States.

According to The New York Times, the government’s intention would be to redirect resources for domestic priorities and programs with direct impact on the country’s foreign policy, excluding initiatives considered multilateral.

The cuts foreseen in the budget sketch are not limited to the regular contributions of the United States to organizations. They would also affect specific programs maintained by these institutions in regions in conflict, in development areas and in humanitarian responses to international crises.

The proposal also includes the review of cooperation agreements and agreements with international organizations in which the United States act as main funders. According to sources heard by the US press, the measure could affect the ability of these entities and compromise ongoing projects.

Asked about the rumors of cutting cuts in NATO financing, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said the government “remains totally committed to the military bloc.”

She added, however, that the United States consider the Atlantic Alliance “mainly as a deterrent mechanism and not as an instrument of war.”

NATO is made up of 31 countries and acts as a political-military alliance aimed at the collective defense of the Member States. The United States is responsible for most of the organization’s operational spending and play a central role in its strategic decisions.

In recent years, US participation in multilateral institutions has been the subject of debate in the country. In his previous term, Donald Trump adopted a critical posture of the UN, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international entities, claiming that the United States beaten with a disproportionate portion of the costs of these organizations.

The new budget proposal resumes this approach and expands the initiative to review the country’s international financial commitments. The measure should generate reactions in Congress, where bipartisan support to humanitarian aid programs and international cooperation can make it difficult to approve broad cuts.

Foreign policy experts heard by US vehicles assess that any significant reductions in multilateral organism financing can affect the global range of US diplomacy and their influence on topics such as international safety, public health and sustainable development.

The memorandum obtained by The New York Times does not have specific dates for the implementation of the cuts, but indicates that the government intends to submit the proposal to Congress as part of the federal budget process this semester.

The total impact of the measure will depend on parliamentary negotiations and the government’s ability to articulate political support for the approval of changes. So far, there has been no official demonstration of the White House about the content of the disclosed memorandum.