On Monday, the media reported that the Trump administration was considering a budget plan that would cut “almost all funding for international organizations like the United Nations and NATO.” The report quoted officials and a memo.
The move is part of a larger plan to cut the State Department’s budget by nearly 50%, two unnamed officials told the media. The plan also suggests cutting funds for international peacekeeping, cultural and educational exchanges, humanitarian aid, and global health programs by over 50%. It is not clear if Secretary of State Marco Rubio agrees with the plan.
AP sources also confirmed the proposal but said it still has to pass many rounds of review before going to Congress. One senior US official told the agency the plan was “aggressive” in cutting costs.
Answering questions on the reported NATO cuts, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said the US is still fully committed to NATO. She added that Washington sees NATO as a deterrent, not as a war tool.
“We want to make sure… that the nations in NATO can actually deliver on the mission of NATO, which is to be a deterrent. It is not to help with wars or to help fight them… NATO was meant to be a collection of entities that would stop the bad actors from doing the bad thing,” she said.
The Trump administration has often asked NATO members to raise their defense spending, saying the US carries too much of the burden. Trump warned the US might not defend NATO members who fail to meet their targets.
On Monday, Vice President J.D. Vance said Europe cannot stay a “permanent security vassal” of the US. He argued this setup is not suitable for America or for European countries.
Security arrangements are changing, and world politics are undergoing a major shift. The recent speculation of fund-cutting from the major international organizations shows that the era of international cooperation is ending, and the self-interests of nations are intensifying.
