The initiative is part of a plan that would see the State Department’s budget reduced by nearly 50%, two unnamed officials told the outlet. It also reportedly suggests curtailing international peacekeeping operations, all of the State Department’s educational and cultural exchanges, and defunding humanitarian assistance and global health programs by more than 50%. It is unclear whether Secretary of State Marco Rubio is on board with the plan.
AP sources have confirmed the proposal but stressed that it must undergo multiple rounds of review before being submitted to Congress for approval. One senior US official cited by the agency called the budget outline “aggressive” in its cost-cutting goals.
Responding to questions about the reported plan to cut NATO funding, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce insisted that the US remains fully committed to the military bloc. She stressed, however, that Washington does not see NATO as a tool for waging war, but rather as a deterrent.
“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 added.
The Trump administration has repeatedly pushed NATO members to increase their defense spending, arguing the US bears a disproportionate share of the burden. Trump has warned that the US might not defend NATO members who fail to meet spending targets.
On Monday, Vice President J.D. Vance said Europe cannot remain a “permanent security vassal” of the US, arguing that the current situation benefits neither America nor European countries.
