USA, Trump promises a “historic increase”: 54 billion dollars for military expenses

WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump has announced “a historic increase” in defense spending: 54 billion dollars, equal to 9% more, in the federal budget for 2018. This is what we read in the draft budget that the White House sent to federal agencies. For the new fiscal year, the proposal is to cut an equal amount of spending in other sectors, including foreign aid.

At a meeting with the governors, Trump stressed that “this budget respects my promises to protect Americans”. Because the United States, according to the president, “must rebuild the impoverished military forces when we need them the most”. And again, spending increases are needed to ensure that the armed forces can avoid conflicts and win wars, since the US “no longer wins”. “We never win – said Trump -. We no longer fight to win”.

According to a source in the Office of Management and Budget (Omb): “The president asked director Mulvaney to write a budget to fulfill all the promises of the election campaign, increasing the budget for security and defense by 54 billion of dollars with a corresponding reduction in non-defense expenses “, more” most federal departments will suffer, with the exception of security agencies “. And, the source added, “there will be a great reduction in foreign aid”.

At the meeting with the governors Trump also spoke of Obamacare : “The tax cut will be considerable, it will be simple and the whole plan is wonderful but I cannot put it into practice until we put in place health care, because we have to know how much it will cost (…) The Obamacare has failed, it is not convenient, it is no longer affordable. ”

27 February 2017