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Nikki Haley, former UN Ambassador and 2024 Presidential Candidate, announced she will cut aid to nations that challenge America if elected.
In a slew of tweets and interviews, Haley vowed to cut aid to countries around the world she deems “anti-American”. Her list includes the nations of Iraq, Cuba and the African country of Zimbabwe.
In a post on her campaign website, Haley calls these and other nations “enemies” of the United States.
“Year after year, Congress throws billions of dollars at our enemies and their allies, instead of focusing on America’s allies and our interests,” Haley wrote. “As president, I’ll block every penny.”
Haley frequently touts her record of “taking names” of nations that push back on US policy during her time as UN Ambassador.
Nikki Haley’s history at the UN included making a list of countries who disagreed with the United States
In 2018, Haley and the Trump administration pointedly asserted that UN member states were not voting with the US enough.
According to an article from the Council on Foreign Relations, Haley mentioned the US “pays 22% of the UN’s cost”. Then, members were only voting with the United States 31% of the time, a 10% decline since Trump took office.
Hailey claimed the anemic support for US policies was “not an acceptable return on our investment.”
“President Trump wants to ensure that our foreign assistance dollars always serve American interests,” she stated.
Former chair of the Republican National Committee Michael Steele called Haley’s proposal “childish” in a tweet on Saturday.
“Nikki, please stop doing this to yourself,” Steele wrote. “This level of childish “foreign policy” is beneath some one who has served in positions to know better.”
The United States gives roughly $40 billion in foreign aid every year. Despite the hyper-focus on foreign aid by some elected officials, it amounts for less than 1% of the overall US budget.
Most of the countries supported by American foreign aid have populations primarily made up of people of color. It’s often seen as critical infrastructure for helping nations strengthen a nation’s economic wellbeing and advance democracy.