US State Department denies plans of NATO funding cuts | World News
WASHINGTON: US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce rejected reports that claimed that the Trump administration is seeking to reduce US funding for the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (Nato).
While addressing a press briefing on Tuesday (local time), Bruce said that the US remains committed to Nato and is trying to make the military alliance deterrent, not to help with wars, fight them, or fund them. She stated that Nato was meant to be a collection of entities that would stop bad actors from doing bad things.
When asked whether the Trump administration is considering eliminating funding for UN and Nato, Bruce responded, “That’s again, that’s from a story that is looking at a memo that was leaked or not from a plan that is a suggestion. What I can tell you, though, is it really makes me concerned when I see the word ‘eliminate.’ I travelled to NATO for that summit with the Secretary. Every meeting, every moment, every time on camera, in every bilateral meeting, talking with the secretary general, the one message – it was – several messages, but the singularly important message that everyone there cared about was the fact that the Secretary of State of the United States reiterated our complete commitment to NATO, as has the President of the United States.”
“Now, what we also want in our commitment means that we want to make sure and help 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 or to fund them or to make it a little bit better as the wars are going on. Nato was meant to be a collection of entities that would stop the bad actors from doing the bad thing, because it would be very, very bad for them if they did it. And at this point, clearly we’ve got nations that have got to ramp up, share the burden, increase their defence spending – not because we’re meanies but because we are committed to Nato. And Nato has to be the thing that it has been purported to be and expected to be at the beginning and wants to be,” she added.
Bruce said reports that the department might end funding for Nato “couldn’t be further from the truth,” describing it as “fear-mongering” that “understandably upsets people.” She noted that there will be plenty to discuss when Trump releases budget bill and sends it to Congress.
Tammy Bruce said, “I have to tell you that there is recognition of this fact at Nato – the number of countries increasing their budget commitment to defence, the recognition that it was an important thing without exception. And that’s where when we think about the – a story about eliminating funding to Nato is – couldn’t be further from the truth. This is about making Nato stronger, making Nato – well, dare I say great again. But that’s where it becomes like fear mongering and understandably upsets people.”
“But as I’ve said with other – with the other review we’ve had with the foreign aid, some things will change, but it doesn’t mean that we’ve changed our commitment to something, but it may look different. That if in fact other nations are coming together and raising their commitment and their contribution, perhaps the American contribution then does come down and yet Nato is stronger. So that is, I think, part of what every family does is looking out for each other, being honest, and providing solutions to that problem. So that story comes from the same speculation that has come from other documents that are moving about when it’s – nothing could be further from the truth and certainly commenting on numbers they might have is not helpful. There will be plenty to discuss when President Trump releases and sends to Congress his budget bill,” she added.
Tammy Bruce’s statement comes after reports claimed that the Trump administration could reduce nearly 50 per cent of the State Department’s funding next fiscal year, according to an internal memo outlining a downsizing plan being given serious consideration by department leaders, The New York Times reported, citing two officials.
The memo proposes eliminating almost all funding for international organisations like the United Nations and Nato, ending the budget for supporting international peacekeeping operations, and reducing educational and cultural exchanges in the department, such as the Fulbright Program.
The memo also proposes reducing funding for humanitarian assistance and global health programs by over 50 per cent. It was not clear whether US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had endorsed the cuts outlined in the memo, which was dated April 10, The New York Times reported. It was also not clear how seriously the proposed cuts would be entertained in Congress.
According to a US official familiar with the department’s review, the White House is likely to send Congress a budget proposal this spring that is similar to what the memo outlines in an effort to press lawmakers to formalise reducing efforts that are already being conducted, The New York Times reported.
