The Trump administration plans to shift $1.8 billion in foreign aid toward what it calls “America First” goals, according to a document sent to Congress in September. This is a big change in how the United States spends its foreign aid dollars, moving away from old programs that gave food, medicine, and money help to other countries.
The plan has several main goals. The government wants to put money into Greenland, an area full of valuable minerals that Trump says he wants the United States to buy. It also wants to fight what it calls “Marxist, anti-American regimes” in Latin America, meaning countries like Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua. Other goals include stopping people from crossing into the United States illegally and taking on China’s power over important minerals and technology like artificial intelligence.
The State Department document looked at by Reuters and The Washington Post says “the national security interests of the United States require that the United States utilize these foreign assistance funds to meet new challenges in ways that make America safer, stronger, or more prosperous.” The plan would take money from programs Congress already said yes to and use it for these new projects that match Trump’s ideas.
Where your money will go
The papers show that $400 million would pay for work in Europe, like energy and mineral projects in Ukraine and building up the economy in Greenland. Trump has talked many times about wanting the United States to take over Greenland, and even came up with a new name for the place. Another $400 million would be used to stop illegal border crossings, push back against China, and deal with certain governments in Latin America. The plan also takes away money from other places, like $175 million that was supposed to go to the West Bank and Gaza, and $150 million for Iraq.
Trump administration will redirect $1.8B in foreign aid toward 'America First' projects, Reuters reports
— RT (@RT_com) September 25, 2025
$400M is earmarked to confront MARXIST, anti-American regimes in Venezuela, Cuba, Bolivia, and Nicaragua pic.twitter.com/W2hj6klSYh
When the request came in worried some people in Congress. The government sent in the plan just weeks before the money year ends on September 30, so Congress does not have much time to look it over. Two people who work for Congress told The Washington Post that this request is way bigger than what usually happens at this time of year.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, did not like the plan at all. “Funding politically driven, unaccountable, pet projects in place 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 said. She also said the plan takes away Congress’s power under the Constitution to decide how government money gets spent.
But a Republican who works for Congress told The Washington Post that the State Department is working with Congress on moving the money and that this kind of notice is normal. This person said House Republicans are all for spending these dollars in what they think is a better way for United States national security. This plan is part of Trump’s bigger changes to foreign aid, since he already shut down the United States Agency for International Development and cut billions from old aid programs.
