United States President Donald Trump will seek to increase the country’s military spending by an historic $54 billion (approximately Rs 3.60 lakh crore) and cut spending on non-military schemes by the same amount, White House officials said on Monday. Trump’s administration will seek to cut spending on programmes relating to education, the environment, science and poverty for next year’s federal budget, The New York Times reported.
However, the president’s aides said that final decisions regarding schemes such as government insurance programme Medicaid and Social Security would only be made later in the year. Trump’s spokesperson Sean Spicer said the president would keep his campaign promise of protecting those programmes. “He’s going to keep his word to the American people,” Spicer said.
At the White House, Trump said his budget would be a “public safety and national security budget”, The Guardian reported. “It will include an historic increase in defence spending to rebuild the depleted military of the United States of America at a time we most need it.” Trump said his administration would make the government accountable to the public. “We can do so much more with the money we spend.”
Reports of the plan to increase military spending also comes ahead of Trump’s first address to the US Congress. Spicer said the president would “lay out an optimistic vision for the country”. “The theme will be the renewal of the American spirit...You will hear a lot about immigration tomorrow night and he will talk about why it matters.” Trump, who has spoken in favour of an immigration ban rejected by courts and criticised by rights groups, has also spoken out against the media, accusing certain news outlets of providing “fake news”.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!