US Strips Millions in Military Aid From Europe, Mideast

The Trump administration has reallocated $52 million in U.S. foreign military financing away from several countries in Europe and the Middle East to support Panama, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia, according to a notification to Congress.

State Department Reprogrammes Funds

The State Department told lawmakers on Tuesday that it will reprogramme the money previously earmarked for Slovakia, North Macedonia, Tunisia and Iraq. The shift is part of broader changes to how Washington distributes military assistance, including adjustments to funding and deployments discussed in previous months.

Foreign military financing is intended to provide recipient countries with U.S. taxpayer funds, allowing them to buy military equipment from American defence contractors.

Western Hemisphere Focus

Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Colombia, Ecuador and Peru last week and pledged additional support. The trip came as the administration has prioritised the Western Hemisphere, with an emphasis on tackling drug trafficking and illegal immigration.

The State Department said the reprogrammed funds would be used to “combat narcoterrorism in our backyard and help continue to secure the Panama Canal”. It added that the Western Hemisphere has been historically neglected in U.S. military assistance.

Officials also linked the changes to concerns about strategic influence in the region, stating that the financing would “prevent adversaries from establishing strategic footholds” in the hemisphere.

Changes Continue Pattern on Europe

The announcement is the latest in a series of steps that have reduced either funding or troop deployments to Europe, in response to President Donald Trump’s complaints that NATO allies are not spending enough on defence.

It also follows Washington’s continued focus on the Western Hemisphere, with the administration aligning itself more closely with right-wing governments in the region. The White House has framed its approach as a revival of the 19th century Monroe Doctrine, which it says underpins Washington’s dominance in the Americas.

Slovakia and North Macedonia are both NATO members. The State Department said, however, that the reallocation does not eliminate foreign military financing for Tunisia, Iraq, North Macedonia or Slovakia, though it did not immediately clarify how much would remain for each of those countries.

Current Distribution Not Aligned

In its notification, the State Department said the current distribution of financing does not align with the administration’s prioritisation of the Western Hemisphere.

The reprogramming takes place as the U.S. seeks to direct more support to countries across Central and South America, while reducing the role of European and Middle Eastern recipients in the latest allocation.

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16 September 2026