The Trump administration has released $397 million to support a U.S.-backed program in Pakistan, ensuring that F-16 fighter jets are used exclusively for counterterrorism operations and not against India, according to a list of exemptions reviewed by Reuters.
Back in 2019, Pakistan was accused of using U.S.-supplied F-16 jets in an aerial skirmish over Kashmir. This raised concerns in Washington about whether Pakistan had violated agreements restricting the use of American military equipment to counterterrorism efforts.
The Trump administration has unfrozen a total of $5.3 billion in foreign aid, primarily for security and counternarcotics programs, with only limited humanitarian assistance included.
Pl subscribe to our youtube channel:
Shortly after taking office on January 20, President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day halt on foreign aid, pausing funding for projects that provided food, healthcare, and shelter for displaced people worldwide. This led to a rush among U.S. officials and humanitarian organizations to seek exemptions to keep critical programs running.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who emphasized that all foreign aid must align with Trump’s “America First” agenda, issued waivers in late January for military aid to Israel and Egypt and for essential humanitarian aid, such as food assistance. While these waivers were supposed to allow funds to be used, humanitarian organizations argue that very few of these waivers were actually approved.
Reuters obtained a list of 243 exemptions, totaling $5.3 billion as of February 13. This list gives the most detailed insight into the aid funds that were exempted from Trump’s freeze and highlights the administration’s focus on cutting aid for programs deemed non-essential to U.S. national security.
The majority of the released funds—over $4.1 billion—were allocated to the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, which manages arms sales and military assistance for allied countries and groups.
Pl visit our website for more info:
Other exemptions supported Trump’s immigration policies and efforts to combat the trafficking of illicit narcotics into the U.S., including opioids like fentanyl.
Some funds were also directed to smaller projects, such as $604 for Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet system to facilitate biometric registration of migrants crossing the Darien Gap, a dangerous 60-mile stretch between South and Central America that is often used by migrants heading toward the U.S.
