Trump Administration Redirects $1.8 Billion in Foreign Aid to ‘America First’ Priorities

WASHINGTON – The Trump administration has announced plans to redirect $1.8 billion in foreign aid funding toward initiatives aligned with its "America First" agenda. According to a Congressional Notification sent on September 12, these funds will be used to bolster U.S. national security interests by supporting efforts such as investments in Greenland, countering Chinese influence, and addressing migration challenges.

The notification highlights priorities including diversifying critical mineral supply chains, fostering strategic infrastructure projects, and confronting "Marxist, anti-American regimes" in Latin America, specifically Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua. Approximately $400 million is earmarked for programs in Europe focused on energy and mineral resources in Ukraine and development efforts in Greenland — a territory whose vast natural resources and strategic location have attracted President Trump’s attention.

A State Department spokesperson emphasized the shift, stating, "The United States will prioritize trade over aid, opportunity over dependency, and investment over assistance," underscoring the administration’s intention to align foreign assistance programs with its policy goals.

This reallocation represents a departure from traditional U.S. foreign aid, which has long functioned as a soft power tool by providing food, medical, and economic support globally. Since the start of Trump’s second term, the administration has significantly reduced funding for foreign aid programs, culminating in the effective dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). This restructuring led to widespread job losses and disrupted humanitarian operations.

Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen criticized the plan, stating, "Funding politically driven, unaccountable, pet projects in places like Greenland or using aid to pressure African governments on immigration is out of step with America’s foreign policy interests and an abuse of Americans’ tax dollars." She also condemned the administration for undermining Congress’s constitutional authority over budgetary matters.

Republican Senator Jim Risch’s office has yet to comment on the notification. Earlier this year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the administration’s overhaul as a move away from a charity-based foreign aid model towards empowering sustainable development in partner countries.

Foreign aid traditionally represents only about 1% of the federal budget, but these recent changes signify a substantial shift in its purpose and execution under the Trump administration.