Tag: foreign aid

Trump Again Bypasses Congress To Advance Major Weapons Package for Israel

The Trump administration has approved $6.5 billion in new weapons deals for Israel that include Apache attack helicopters and military vehicles, a step Secretary of State Marco Rubio took without waiting for the normal congressional review process.

According to The New York Times, the approval of the arms deals marks the third time that the Trump administration bypassed Congress to send weapons to Israel.

The arms packages had been under review by the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and the State Department is supposed to wait until the top two members of each committee approve the deals before advancing them, but Rubio didn’t, drawing a rebuke from Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), the ranking member of the House committee.

“Just one hour ago, the Trump administration informed me it would disregard congressional oversight and years of standing practice, and immediately notify over $6 billion in arms sales to Israel,” Meeks said, according to Haaretz.

“Shamefully, this is now the second time the Trump administration has blatantly ignored long-standing Congressional prerogatives while also refusing to engage Congress on critical questions about the next steps in Gaza and broader US policy,” Meeks added.

According to the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the State Department approved a total of four potential arms sales for Israel, which will likely be funded by US military aid. The deals include:

  • AH-64E Apache Helicopters and related equipment for an estimated cost of $3.8 billion
  • Joint Light Tactical Vehicle and related equipment for an estimated cost of $1.98 billion
  • Namer Armored Personnel Carrier Power Packs Less Transmissions and Integrated Logistics Support, and related equipment for an estimated cost of $740 million
  • AW119Kx Light Utility Helicopters and related equipment for an estimated cost of $150 million

The US provides Israel with $3.8 billion in annual military aid under a ten-year Memorandum of Understanding, but since October 7, 2023, and the start of the IDF’s genocidal campaign in Gaza, the US has given Israel significantly more.

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Mike Benz exposes the dark underbelly of U2’s Bono…

We’ve been told over and over that celebrity “humanitarianism” is the purest form of goodness on the planet. Big stars, concerts, movies, emotions, giving back, bla bla bla. The message is always the same: open your heart, open your wallet, and don’t ask too many questions, because celebrities would never steer you wrong.

But every once in a while, someone comes along and does ask questions. And when they do, many uncomfortable dots start showing up.

And that’s exactly what’s happening with Bono, the frontman of U2. But beyond his lead vocals, Bono has very carefully cultivated an image as a global humanitarian icon. Nobody asked questions, because Bono had everybody convinced he was an angel, doing the purest work. However, there’s a lot more to it, according to Mike Benz.

He says Bono’s humanitarian work may not have been driven purely by compassion but by something much darker: elite power networks, intelligence operations, and narrative control.

What makes this even more disturbing is how often USAID keeps popping up in Bono’s so-called “humanitarian” work. As you likely recall, USAID spent years selling itself as a charitable force while quietly operating as a political operator overseas. Once DOGE started digging, the fraud and true mission were revealed, and Team Trump moved to gut large portions of the agency. Only now are Americans beginning to understand just how much of this so-called “aid” wasn’t what it appeared to be.

Which brings us right back to Bono and Mike Benz, the guy who just pulled back the curtain on U2’s singer.

Mike points out how celebrity activism, government agencies, and intelligence agencies all come together under the phony banner of “humanitarianism.”

Benz points to massive USAID-linked fundraising concerts, including events that were supposed to stop hunger in Somalia. The thing is, that didn’t happen, because most of the money allegedly financed CIA-backed warlords and weapons purchases.

This is where the glossy “Hollywood humanitarian” story really starts to crack.

Benz goes through how these shady operations really run. They use aid vans that can’t be inspected because “the food will spoil,” and the relief funds move through layers of contractors and other shady folks.

While the public PR stunts stir up emotions, all the sketchy stuff happens in the shadows. What’s sold to the public as compassion is actually a delivery system for covert action.

And then there’s the politics…

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US Ends Aid to Somalia After Locals Torch and Loot Warehouse Filled with 76 Tons of US-Donated Food

Such a grateful country!
They really appreciate all of the US taxpayer donated food sent their way.

The United States ended taxpayer-funded food aid to Somalia after local officials torched and looted the stockpiles of food stored in a local warehouse.

There is even video of the mass looting!

The US State Department released a statement after the warehouse was destroyed.

This is the same country that is shipped suitcases of US dollars each week.

It appears the Somalians in Africa are not very appreciated for the US assistance.

It’s about time the US focused their foreign aid in a different direction.

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State Department expected to end aid to Somalia: report

The U.S. State Department has announced a decision to cut off government-to-government assistance to Somalia following a dispute over the fate of American-donated food supplies, according to diplomatic communications cited in a news report.

Earlier this month, Somali authorities at the Mogadishu port demolished a key World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse—a facility built with international support to store emergency food aid. U.S. officials say the action, ordered by Somalia’s president and carried out without notifying donor nations, likely destroyed roughly 76 metric tons of U.S. food aid meant for vulnerable people. Additional shipments totaling over 1,600 metric tons were also affected and had to be relocated.

In response, Washington paused all current U.S. assistance programs that directly benefited the Somali federal government. 

The State Department has tied the reopening of aid commitments to Somalia’s acceptance of responsibility and compensation for the missing food supplies. 

The State Department said Jan. 7 that it had suspended all U.S. assistance programs that support Somalia’s federal government, warning that funding would not resume unless Somali officials accept responsibility for what Washington called unacceptable conduct. An administration official, who spoke on background with The Daily Wire, said the pause is expected to become permanent, with all remaining aid formally terminated by May.

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U.S. Allocates $23.4 Million to Mexico to Strengthen Labor Justice under USMCA

The United States Embassy in Mexico announced this Tuesday that it will allocate $23.4 million to projects linked to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), focused on strengthening the country’s Labor Justice System.

The official statement notes that the funds will be used to improve the enforcement of labor legislation, ensure compliance with standards, and reduce practices that affect workers’ wages and competitiveness.

According to the Embassy, the investment aims for USMCA benefits to translate into concrete, visible, and sustainable results for the population.

The funds will be distributed among various organizations and programs, including support for labor training, monitoring law compliance, and advising government agencies, with the goal of preventing resources from being trapped in bureaucracy.

Analysts highlight that this type of U.S. investment represents an opportunity for tangible progress but warn that its success depends on transparency and accountability—conditions that are often lost when the left manages resources from offices disconnected from the streets.

In border and urban communities, neighbors and small business owners are closely watching the measure. Many hope the investment will translate into real jobs, respect for labor rights, and increased security, while others remain skeptical due to the history of corruption and mismanagement of public funds.

“We want to see improvements in our neighborhoods, not just figures in a statement,” said a merchant from Monterrey, reflecting citizens’ concern that the aid actually reaches those who need it.

President Donald Trump has emphasized on multiple occasions that the USMCA is key to protecting the interests of the United States and its trade partners, ensuring that investments are directed toward concrete results for workers and businesses.

In this context, the funds directed to Mexico are interpreted as a mechanism of strategic cooperation that also seeks to guarantee that Hispanic American workers can compete fairly, protecting their rights and avoiding disorderly practices that harm the local economy.

Priority projects include training programs for youth and adults, strengthening labor courts, and monitoring companies, all aimed at ensuring that legislation is effectively enforced.

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MORE BETRAYAL: House Votes to KEEP Funding Globalist NGO Responsible for Global Censorship and Domestic Propaganda — 81 Republicans Side With Democrats to Kill Defund Push

In yet another stunning display of Uniparty betrayal, the House of Representatives has voted to continue funneling taxpayer dollars to the shadowy National Endowment for Democracy (NED) – a globalist NGO notorious for meddling in foreign elections, fueling censorship worldwide, and even pushing domestic propaganda right here at home.

By a lopsided 127–291 vote, lawmakers rejected an amendment offered by Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) to prohibit $315 million in funding for the NED as part of the FY2026 spending package.

Following the vote, a disgusted Rep. Eli Crane took to X to vent his frustrations with the rot inside the halls of Congress.

“The swamp is real. But we did pass the Shower Act this week. I could use one after spending so much time in this awful place,” Crane wrote.

He followed up with a stinging rebuke of the 81 Republicans who turned their backs on the base:

“Tonight, the Uniparty rejected my amendment to defund NED. 81 ‘Republicans’ voted with Democrats to fund this rogue organization that fuels global censorship and domestic propaganda. We will keep fighting.”

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EXPOSED: Rep. Tim Burchett BLASTS Congress for Sneaking Through $90.1 BILLION in DIRTY SPENDING — $1.425B to Egypt and “Building Jordan a Wall While They Fire Missiles at Others”

Tennessee Republican Rep. Tim Burchett stormed off the House floor in utter disgust after Congress rammed through a massive $90.1 billion spending bill loaded with foreign giveaways and anti-American pork.

Burchett first pointed to an amendment offered by Chip Roy to cut the D.C. Court of Appeals budget by 20% and strip salary funding for the staffs of Judges Boasberg and Boardman.

Next up was an amendment from Eli Crane to defund the National Endowment for Democracy, an NGO long criticized by conservatives for meddling abroad and fueling censorship and regime-change operations.

Burchett also laid out another outrageous line item buried in the bill: an estimated $6.15 billion total for the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program across multiple countries.

FMF funding includes:

  • $1.3B for Egypt
  • $3.3B for Israel
  • $425M + $50M for Jordan
  • Additional FMF allocations to other countries

Tim Burchett wrote on X, “I am so disgusted. This is not what you sent us here for. Funding liberal causes and foreign militaries and contraception. $90 Billion of your money.”

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Why Netanyahu says it’s time to cut US aid to Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a wide‑ranging interview with “The Economist,” published Friday, that he intends to completely end Israel’s reliance on U.S. security assistance within the next 10 years — and that “the move is already underway.”

In the interview, conducted during Netanyahu’s visit to Mar‑a‑Lago about two weeks ago, the prime minister publicly revealed for the first time that he will not seek a full renewal of the annual $3.8 billion security aid package set to expire in 2028. “I want to reduce military aid within the next 10 years,” he said, answering “yes” when asked if his intention was to zero out dependence. In discussions between Netanyahu and Trump at Mar‑a‑Lago, teams were agreed on to negotiate future aid.

Netanyahu explained that Israel has “matured” and developed impressive economic capabilities, with the economy expected to reach $1 trillion within the coming decade. “We want to be as independent as possible,” Netanyahu stressed, adding that he will continue “to fight for the loyalty and support of the American people” — but greater independence could also help in the battle against the “propaganda war” against Israel.

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US To Fund $8.6 Billion Boeing Contract for Israeli F-15 Fighter Jets

The US Department of War announced on Monday that Boeing has been awarded a contract worth up to $8.6 billion to sell Israel new F-15 fighter jets as part of a deal funded by US military aid.

The Israeli Defense Ministry announced the initial deal in November 2024 and said it would be funded by US aid that was included in a massive foreign assistance bill President Biden signed into law earlier that year. At the time, the F-15 deal was valued at $5.2 billion and included 25 new F-15s.

The updated contract with Boeing has a ceiling of up to $8.6 billion since it includes an option to purchase an additional 25 F-15s. The Pentagon said in its announcement that the work on the fighter jets will be “performed at St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be complete by December 31, 2035.”

The US has continued to provide Israel with massive amounts of weapons despite its genocidal campaign in Gaza, which, according to several studies, has likely killed more than 100,000 Palestinians, including tens of thousands of women and children. US military aid and direct military intervention have also supported Israel’s wars in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iran, and the occupation of the West Bank.

According to Brown University’s Costs of War Project, in the two years following the October 7 attack, the US government spent at least $21.7 billion on military aid to Israel and another $9.65 billion to $12.07 billion on US military operations in the region in support of Israel.

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State Dept Revamps U.N. Funding: ‘More Lives Saved for Fewer Taxpayers Dollars’

The State Department and the United Nations jointly announced on Monday that they have agreed to a new framework for processing American funding for the global body, streamlining funds directly to countries in need and potentially saving billions in needless bureaucracy.

Given expected savings for American taxpayers of “nearly $1.9 billion dollars” compared to the way the United States sent money to the U.N. in the past, the State Department announced an extra $2 billion funding commitment to be offered directly to countries in need that the administration of President Donald Trump trusts to spend appropriately.

The move follows a prodigious effort by Secretary of State Marco Rubio to repair the federal government’s broken humanitarian aid system, including the shutdown of most programs under the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The Trump administration has also withdrawn America from some of the United Nations’ most corrupt and dysfunctional bodies, such as the World Health Organization (W.H.O.), UNESCO, and the Human Rights Council. The administration has also distanced the United States from the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) operating in Gaza, whose members were implicated in the October 7, 2023 invasion of Israel by the jihadist terror organization Hamas.

Despite these moves, the United States remains the largest funder of the U.N. generally and the host country for its main headquarters. In a statement on Monday, the State Department emphasized that America will retain its position as a humanitarian works leader and be better able to serve the needy through the new funding mechanism agreed to in the memorandum of understanding signed with the U.N. on Monday.

The agreement, the State Department explained, “establishes a new paradigm whereby the United States will replace the current unaccountable morass of projectized grants with a set of consolidated and flexible pooled fund vehicles at the country or crisis level.” This paradigm allows for money to be disbursed through “comprehensive country-level policy agreements,” cutting out expenditures related to the involvement of U.N. bureaucrats. It also allows the State Department to better “ensure alignment with American interests and priorities” for the spending involved, according to the statement.

“This means more lives saved for fewer taxpayer dollars,” the department asserted.

“Because of significantly enhanced efficiency and hyper-prioritization on life-saving impacts, this new model is also expected to save U.S. taxpayers nearly $1.9 billion dollars,” the State Department explained. As a result, the United States can pledge “an initial $2 billion anchor commitment to fund life-saving assistance activities in dozens of countries.”

“The U.N.’s web of overlapping humanitarian mandates have long suffered from ideological creep, maddening duplication and bureaucratic inefficiencies, and poor coordination,” the State Department condemned in its release.

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