Donald Trump set to scrap ‘virtually all’ of US aid budget, ministers have been warned
DONALD Trump is set to scrap “virtually all” of the US aid budget, cabinet ministers have been warned.
Officials at the World Bank have told International Development Secretary Anneliese Dodds that US-funded development projects abroad may grind to a halt as the incoming President focuses on spending for America first.
In 2023 the US spent around $63bn on foreign aid, around 1 per cent of the federal budget.
Meanwhile, last year the UK splurged around £15.4bn on overseas projects.
As Chancellor under Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak slashed the aid budget from 0.7 to 0.5 per cent of GDP.
But many Labour MPs have pushed for the threshold to be raised back up.
The US and UK work on several joint international development projects – but their future under a Trump White House is becoming increasingly uncertain.
Reform UK Deputy Leader, Richard Tice MP said: “Donald Trump is taking the right approach and putting the people he was elected to serve first.
“Labour are committed to raising taxes and freezing pensioners whilst they send billions abroad in foreign aid.
“Reform UK are the only party who are clear on this, we would slash foreign aid and put British people first.”