WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th February, 2020) The Trump administration submitted to Congress a budget request for fiscal year 2021 that seeks to boost spending on weapons development and programs to counter Russia while slashing foreign aid.
The proposal, revealed publicly on Monday, shows that of the $4.8 trillion, the Trump administration is asking US Congress for $740.5 billion for national defense spending.
The administration is requesting $3.2 billion to fund hypersonic weapons development programs, which is an increase of nearly $500 million from fiscal year 2020, the document said. Moreover, the administration's proposal requests $20.3 billion to strengthen the United States' missile defense programs for 2021.
The administration is also focused on developing the United States' capabilities in space. The budget requests $18 billion for the space domain in 2021 fiscal year, the document said.
An estimated $15.4 billion will go to the newly created US Space Force, which includes $2.5 billion for Space Based Overhead Persistent Infrared Systems that will allow the United States to conduct infrared space surveillance.
Another $1.8 billion will be assigned to the Global Positioning System (GPS) III and $1.6 billion will go to the National Security Space Launch. The Trump administration also requests almost $600 million for the US Space Command and Space Development Agency.
Moreover, the draft budget requests a 12 percent increase in NASA funding, totaling $25.2 billion, with a priority on the agency's Lunar and Mars expeditions. The budget allocates $3.4 billion from the NASA funding for the development of lander systems.
More than $700 million of the NASA funding will be used to support lunar surface activities and $233 million to prepare robotic precursor missions to Mars, the document said.
The administration is making a stronger effort to pressure Moscow as the new budget requests more than $700 million to counter Russian influence worldwide. Previously, the administration sought $500 million for fiscal year 2020.
The budget proposal also provides $24 million for the Global Engagement Center to counter Russian propaganda and disinformation.
The administration is also seeking funding to counter alleged Russian influence in Ukraine. The budget proposal is requesting $316.9 million in aid for Ukraine for fiscal year 2021.Of the total sum, the Trump administration seeks $115 million for military aid.
The budget also includes spending for Ukrainian non-proliferation efforts, counter-terrorism, and law enforcement activities.
Russian officials have long warned that US military aid to Ukraine will only lead to more bloodshed, prolong the conflict, and destabilize the region.
The draft budget is also asking for $800,000 for the State Department to maintain the seized Russian diplomatic properties in the United States. The US government has shutdown Russian diplomatic facilities in San Francisco, New York City, Seattle, and Washington.
Russia has said the US actions violate the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic and Consular Relations as well as other aspects of international law.
The Trump administration is seeking to minimize its spending on foreign conflicts in the middle East, the budget revealed.
The Department of Defense revealed in its own budget request document that the Trump administration is seeking to spend $14 billion to fund Operation Freedom's Sentinel - the lowest amount in the history of the 18-year conflict in Afghanistan.
The most the United States has spent in the Afghan war is $114 billion in fiscal year 2011, according to the document.
The Trump administration's 2021 budget request to fund Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) in Iraq and Syria remains unchanged from the previous year, standing at $7 billion, the document revealed.
The most the Trump administration has spent to fund OIR is $14 billion in fiscal years 2017 and 2019.
SLASH IN OVERSEAS DIPLOMACY FUNDING
Funding for the State Department's diplomatic efforts abroad are also on the chop block.
The State Department revealed in its budget proposal that the administration wants to cut funding for the State Department and US Agency for International Development (USAID) by more than 20 percent in fiscal year 2021. That is an $11.7 billion decrease from fiscal year 2020.
The administration is proposing a $36 million reduction to the agency's operations in Afghanistan as well.
However, the Trump administration is requesting $205 million in fiscal year 2021 to facilitate a change of government in Venezuela
In addition, the budget requests $6.7 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a $2.4 billion decrease from fiscal year 2020.
On border security, Trump is looking for an additional $2 billion to build a new wall on the US-Mexico border.
Trump's budget request must go through US Congress where it is likely to be challenged by Democrat lawmakers controlling the House of Representatives.
