Trump administration to phase out security funding for NATO's eastern flank, FT reports
The Trump administration is preparing to phase out funding for U.S. security assistance programs that support European countries bordering Russia, the Financial Times (FT) reported Sept. 4.
The move is part of a broader push for NATO allies, particularly in Europe, to increase their own defense spending.
Pentagon officials reportedly met behind closed doors with European diplomats last week to inform them that the United States would no longer fund programs to train and equip militaries in eastern European countries that share a border with Russia.
A White House official told the Financial Times that the decision was "coordinated with European countries in line with the executive order and the president's long-standing emphasis on ensuring Europe takes more responsibility for its own defense."
The cuts will target Section 333, a program that authorizes the defense secretary to provide training and equipment to foreign security forces in areas such as counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and maritime and border security.
The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have been the main recipients of this program.
European officials said the move is intended to encourage the continent's wealthier nations to fund security assistance in their own backyard. However, they also warned that the cuts are "causing a lot of concern and uncertainty," and drew comparisons with the Trump administration's decision earlier this year to slash international aid and shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Similarly, in June, NATO allies pledged to boost defense spending to 5% of gross domestic product, following pressure from the Trump administration. Later in August, the U.S. and NATO also agreed to a new mechanism for funding weapons transfer to Ukraine, under which alliance members will purchase U.S.-supplied arms for Kyiv.
Since taking office earlier this year, U.S. President Donald Trump's foreign policy approach has disrupted decades-old partnerships, as his administration has consistently pressured Europe and other longtime allies to pay a greater share for multilateral institutions and projects around the world.
