President Trump’s 2020 budget requests more than $180 million in aid for three Central American countries he vowed to pull funding from as part of his drive to stem the flow of migrants crossing the southern border.
The State Department’s budget for the next fiscal year calls for more than $45 million for El Salvador, $69.4 million for Guatemala, and $65.7 million for Honduras.
The bulk of that funding for the “Northern Triangle” countries would come through the agency’s Economic Support and Development Fund, with hundreds of thousands also flowing for international military education and training.
The Trump administration’s request for 2020 for the three countries mirrors what the State Department designated in fiscal year 2019, which began Oct. 1.
Aid already approved by Congress for El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, though, is currently held up at the Office of Management and Budget as officials wait to her what the president wants to do with the money, according to Politico.
A State Department representative said the president has made “very clear” the U.S. allocates aid to meet its priorities.
“We expect all foreign aid recipients to hold up their end of the bargain. We will redouble our efforts to work with Northern Triangle governments toward showing results: improving opportunity and security so that their citizens can thrive at home,” the representative said. “We will be continually reviewing our aid to ensure that we spend U.S. tax dollars wisely and that we spend them in ways that meet U.S. objectives.”
The White House did not return a request for comment.
Trump in December vowed his administration would cut off aid to the three Central American countries and accused them of “taking advantage” of the U.S.
“Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador are doing nothing for the United States but taking our money,” he tweeted. “Word is that a new caravan is forming in Honduras, and they are doing nothing about it. We will be cutting off all aid to these 3 countries — taking advantage of U.S. for years!”
The warning in December was not the first time Trump threatened to pull funding to Honduras, in particular. In October, as a caravan of migrants was traveling from the country to the U.S.-Mexico border, Trump said he told Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez “no more money or aid” would be given to the country if the caravan were not stopped and forced to turn around.
While the Trump administration is still seeking money for the Northern Triangle despite Trump’s threat, funding to Central America has dropped in recent years.
In fiscal year 2016, Congress appropriated $754 million, but that fell to $700 million in fiscal year 2017 and $627 million in fiscal year 2018, according to the Congressional Research Service.
The White House released this month its budget for fiscal year 2020, the first the president sent to a divided Congress. The fiscal blueprint, which serves as a messaging document, was dead on arrival in the Democrat-controlled House.
