Trump Budget Spends 10X More on Foreign Countries than Border Wall

While funding for President Trump’s proposed wall along the United States-Mexico border makes up less than two percent of the budget he and the Senate Republican leadership have put forward, billions in American taxpayer money would be spent around the world.

The more than $350 billion budget would spend about only $5.7 billion on bollard-style fencing for more than 200 miles to be constructed on the U.S.-Mexico border to stop illegal immigration.

The wall funding accounts for less than two percent of the total budget endorsed by Trump and congressional Republicans.

Meanwhile, about ten times as much taxpayer money is spent on intervening abroad in the form of foreign aid to “promote democracy” and “support national security and American values” overseas compared to what is spent on the border wall.

In total, about $54.2 billion is spent on foreign aid in the budget, accounting for more than 15 percent of the total spending bill.

About $2.4 billion in U.S. tax dollars would go towards promoting democracy in foreign countries, while about $35 million is spent on higher education programs in Egypt.

Another $17.5 million is spent to promote democracy in the socialist country of Venezuela and more than $60 million in taxpayer money is spent promoting Internet freedom around the world and in Russia.

Additionally, the budget allocates millions in funding for border security measures in Pakistan, Lebanon, Egypt, and Libya. This includes about $6 billion to fund foreign countries’ militaries.

The country of Jordan, alone, is awarded $1.5 billion in U.S. taxpayer money for “assistance,” including $745 million spent to fund the country’s government and $425 million spent to assist the country’s military.