- The State Department ignored the lawmakers' instructions and on Wednesday notified Congress that it was diverting the funds from Slovakia, North Macedonia, Tunisia and Iraq to the Latin American nations led by Trump allies.
- Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Rep. Gregory Meeks protested the diversion of upwards of $52 million in Foreign Military Finance funds meant for Ukraine, Europe and Middle Eastern partners to Panama and Peru, saying it had not been properly justified.
- Shaheen and Meeks urged the administration to use the funds as Congress required, placed a hold on the diversion, and warned that transferring the funds would violate statutory requirements and have consequences for the Department's relationship with their committees.
- The $52 million was first appropriated during the Biden administration after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 to encourage European allies to share munitions stockpiles with Kyiv, allowing them to buy American military equipment while passing old Soviet-era weaponry to Ukraine.
- The move, first reported by The Washington Post, is the latest in a series of actions by the Trump administration to boost authoritarian leaders in Latin America while undermining America's relationship with traditional allies and undercutting Congress' authority over government spending.
- The State Department said the funds were better spent as part of the administration's pivot "away from Middle East and Europe to the Western Hemisphere", to combat narco-terrorism, secure the Panama Canal, and counter adversary military influence.
The Trump administration's decision to redirect $52 million in military aid from Ukraine to Latin America has sparked significant controversy. The funds, originally appropriated to support European allies following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, are now being sent to Panama and Peru, countries aligned with Trump.
Democratic leaders, including Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Rep. Gregory Meeks, have protested this diversion, stating it undermines U.S. national security objectives. They emphasized that the funds were specifically appropriated by Congress for aiding Ukraine and its allies, and they have placed a hold on the transfer.
“We urge you to utilize the funds for the purpose required by Congress,” they stated, warning of potential consequences for the State Department's relationship with Congress if the hold is breached.
Despite these objections, the State Department has proceeded with the diversion, claiming the funds will combat narco-terrorism and strengthen security partnerships in the Western Hemisphere. “The funds used in our region will combat narco-terrorism in our hemisphere and help continue to secure the Panama Canal,” the department asserted.
This move is part of a broader trend by the Trump administration to bolster authoritarian regimes in Latin America while diminishing ties with traditional allies in Europe and the Middle East. The $52 million was initially intended to encourage European allies to share military resources with Ukraine, highlighting the contentious nature of this redirection.
The program aimed to facilitate the purchase of American military equipment by European nations, allowing them to transfer older Soviet-era weaponry to Ukraine.
The governments of Ecuador and Colombia, closely aligned with the Trump administration, have cooperated in combating narcotics trafficking, further illustrating the administration's pivot in foreign policy priorities.
“Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Rep. Gregory Meeks placed a hold on the diversion, warning it would violate statutory requirements and have consequences for the Department's relationship with their committees. The $52 million was first appropriated during the Biden administration after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 to encourage European allies to share munitions with Kyiv.”
