Aug 7, 2019

Trump circumvents Congress to block foreign aid

Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The Trump administration has frozen at least $2 billion in foreign aid and ordered a review of the spending, which has already been approved by Congress, reports the Washington Post.

Why it matters: President Trump is circumventing Congress in a move one Democratic aide told the NYT could "set a precedent for future administrations to ignore spending bills and eliminate spending obligations."

  • Trump's previous attempts to cut foreign aid in budget proposals were rejected by Congress, per the NYT.

The big picture: Trump has been itching to limit foreign aid spending, per the NYT. This move could cut funding for all programs and projects that have yet to receive money this year.

  • Trump has previously threatened to cut foreign aid to Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador if they didn't work to reduce the number of migrants crossing into the U.S.
  • Trump also cut more than $200 million in aid to Palestinians.

What's next: Following a review by the Office of Management and Budget, money for projects deemed unimportant will be returned to the Treasury Department. Congress will have 45 days after that to either approve or block the move, per the NYT.

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Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 3 a.m. ET: 5,410,228 — Total deaths: 345,105 — Total recoveries — 2,169,005 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 3 a.m. ET: 1,643,499 — Total deaths: 97,722 — Total recoveries: 366,736 — Total tested: 14,163,915 — Map.
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  4. Public health: Officials are urging Americans to wear masks headed into Memorial Day weekend — Report finds "little evidence" coronavirus under control in most states — Hurricanes, wildfires, the flu could strain COVID-19 response
  5. Economy: White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett says it's possible the unemployment rate could still be in double digits by November's election — Public employees brace for layoffs.
  6. Federal government: Trump attacks a Columbia University study that suggests earlier lockdown could have saved 36,000 American lives.
  7. What should I do? Hydroxychloroquine questions answered — Traveling, asthma, dishes, disinfectants and being contagious — Masks, lending books and self-isolating — Exercise, laundry, what counts as soap — Pets, moving and personal health — Answers about the virus from Axios experts — What to know about social distancing — How to minimize your risk.
  8. Other resources: CDC on how to avoid the virus, what to do if you get it, the right mask to wear.

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