Washington dismisses claims of NATO funding cut in draft budget

The U.S. State Department has pushed back against a draft budget proposal from the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that suggests eliminating American funding for NATO, insisting no final decisions have been taken.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce refrained from definitively ruling out the possibility of funding cuts but repeatedly emphasised that no elements of the budget were final until President Donald Trump submitted his full federal budget to Congress, Caliber.Az reports, citing US media.

The draft OMB proposal, recommends reducing the combined budgets of the State Department and the remaining functions of the U.S. Agency for International Development to $28.4 billion – nearly a 50% cut compared with the previous fiscal year.

The document further outlines an 89% reduction in contributions to more than 20 international organisations, slashing funding from $1.4 billion to $169 million. This includes what it describes as “eliminating funding” for both the United Nations and NATO.

“It really makes me concerned when I see the word ‘eliminate,’” Bruce said. She noted that she had travelled with Secretary of State Marco Rubio to NATO headquarters, where he “reiterated our complete commitment to NATO, as has the president of the United States.”

Bruce added that the idea of scrapping U.S. funding for the alliance “couldn't be further from the truth,” asserting, “This is about making NATO stronger.”

The proposal also outlines a 56% cut to foreign aid, bringing it down to $16.9 billion. This includes $2.1 billion earmarked for a new “America First Opportunities Fund” while drastically reducing allocations for global health, humanitarian and security assistance programmes.

OMB spokeswoman Alexandra McCandless stated, “No final funding decisions have been made.”

The administration is expected to submit its final budget proposal to Congress later this month.

By Aghakazim Guliyev