It seems to be a common misconception that to make the United States prosperous, our nation needs to allocate our spending primarily to ourselves. While investing in national security and federal programs that protect and serve our nation is crucial, it is also in the United States ‘economic, diplomatic and national security interest to invest money and resources in developing nations.
International development and poverty reduction programs strengthen the United States’ national security, economic system, and diplomatic position. Funding the development of poor nations creates new economies and consumers for the U.S. to interact with. As the nation develops and competitive markets are born, the U.S. gains access to new consumers and trade deals creating more jobs at home. Taking part in the development of foreign nations also gives the U.S. the opportunity to promote democracy by supporting the development of democratic governments that are secure and unwavering. As developing nations move toward reform and stabilization, unsupervised and disorganized nations that were once breeding grounds for terrorist groups become symbols of security. The benefits of supporting poverty reduction and international development are clear and simple.
President Trump’s 2018 budget proposal outlines a plethora of goals his administration has outlined for the United Sates. The goals are focused around a few fundamental ideas: economic growth, national security, job growth, as well as spending stabilization. These goals can all be supported through foreign aid spending, however; President Trump’s 2018 budget proposes cuts for the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development budget by nearly 28 percent. When less than 1 percent of the United States’ nearly $4 trillion budget is allocated toward foreign aid sending already, how much more of a cut can it take?
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