Trump unveils ”America First” budget
US President Donald Trump released his "America First" budget plan Thursday, laying out a blueprint for next year that boosts military spending and slashes foreign aid and environmental protection. The administration’s budget proposal was guided by Trump’s "own words," turning the new president’s policies "into numbers," budget director Mick Mulvaney said, citing more money for […]
US President Donald Trump released his "America First" budget plan Thursday, laying out a blueprint for next year that boosts military spending and slashes foreign aid and environmental protection.
The administration’s budget proposal was guided by Trump’s "own words," turning the new president’s policies "into numbers," budget director Mick Mulvaney said, citing more money for defence, border security, law enforcement and school choice.
"You have an ‘America First’ candidate and you have an ‘America First’ budget," Mulvaney said.
The State Department and US Agency for International Development would see its base budget cut by 28 per cent, primarily through the reduction of foreign aid programmes, while protecting the "core diplomatic function of State," Mulvaney said.
In contrast, the Defence Department budget would grow 10 per cent, or 52 billion dollars from 2017 spending to 639 billion dollars. The base budget is set at 574 billion dollars, plus 65 billion dollars for ongoing overseas military operations.
The Homeland Security Department would see an increase of 6.8 per cent to 44.1 billion dollars, including an immediate 1.5 billion dollars for construction of a wall along the Mexican border this year and 2.6 billion dollars in 2018.
"There is no question this is a hard power budget, it is not a soft power budget," Mulvaney said.
The next fiscal year begins October 1, running through September 30, 2018.
The White House issued the 62-page document, "America First – A Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again," including a statement from Trump.
"In these dangerous times, this public safety and national security budget blueprint is a message to the world – a message of American strength, security, and resolve," he said.
US presidents cannot formally propose legislation, and must seek sponsors in Congress.
Trump’s conservative Republican Party holds majorities in both the Senate and the lower House of Representatives.
The budget blueprint suggests cuts at the Environmental Protection Agency and would end government involvement with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which helps to finance public television and radio.
The plan pays for increased defence spending by cuts elsewhere and will likely involve reduced government payrolls, but many of the details will be determined later by cabinet secretaries. (DPA)