The White House is reportedly eyeing big cuts to the State Department's budget and eliminating U.S. spending on NATO and the United Nations.
The Washington Post and The Associated Press both
reported on the proposed cuts, citing an internal memo and officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The funding cuts were reportedly proposed by the White House’s Office of Management and Budget.
Both The Post and AP characterized the proposals as being highly preliminary.
The Post reported that the administration is considering cutting State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development funding by $27 billion, or 48% from current levels.
The Post reported that the proposal included ending U.S. funding for the United Nations, NATO and 20 other organizations.
The AP reported that global health funding would be slashed.
And more than a quarter of foreign assistance through the State Department would be cut.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement that she was “deeply troubled” that the large cuts to the State Department were under consideration.
"When America First becomes America Alone, our economy, security, and prosperity will suffer as adversaries fill the void the Trump Administration leaves behind,” Shaheen said. “Investments in diplomatic programs that promote peace and stability, and advance American national security interests are commonsense priorities that should be reflected in the State Department’s budget request.”
A spokeswoman for the State Department told reporters Tuesday that President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio remain committed to NATO.
And spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said the administration is far from submitting a finalized budget request for the State Department.
“I can tell you that whatever you’ve seen in public was not released from this entity, was not released from this department,” Bruce said at a news conference. “It was not released by the secretary, that there is no final plan, final budget, final dynamic. That is up to the White House and the president of the United States as they continue to work on their budget plan and what they will submit to Congress.”
