U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is cutting military aid to Europe and the Middle East to support governments with conservative views in Central and South America. Associated Press writes, reports UNN.
The Trump administration is withdrawing tens of millions of dollars in U.S. military aid intended for European and Middle Eastern countries in order to support governments with conservative views in Central and South America
On Tuesday, the State Department informed Congress that it would reallocate $52 million earmarked to fund the armed forces of Slovakia, North Macedonia, Tunisia, and Iraq to Panama, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia.
Last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru and promised them additional support, as the Trump administration's foreign policy prioritizes the Western Hemisphere, focusing on combating drug trafficking and illegal immigration.
This is merely the latest in a series of steps aimed at reducing funding or deploying troops in Europe in response to President Donald Trump's complaints that NATO allies are not allocating sufficient funds to their defense budgets, as well as over other issues.
The State Department said the funds would be used to "combat narco-terrorism in our own backyard and help continue ensuring the security of the Panama Canal," adding that the Western Hemisphere has historically not received U.S. military aid.
It should be recalled
U.S. President Donald Trump is "ready" for talks with Iran and insists that other countries should reimburse the United States for costs related to oil transported through the Strait of Hormuz.