US strips millions in military aid from Europe and Mideast to back Trump-aligned nations in Americas

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration is stripping tens of millions of dollars in U.S.

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration is stripping tens of millions of dollars in U.S. Military assistance from countries in Europe and the Middle East to backing conservative-leaning governments in Central and South America.

For context, the State Department on Tuesday notified Congress that it will reprogram $52 million in foreign military financing from Slovakia, North Macedonia, Tunisia and Iraq to Panama, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Colombia, Ecuador and Peru last week and pledged to them extra backing as the Trump administration has prioritized the Western Hemisphere in its foreign policy with an emphasis on combating drug trafficking and illegal immigration.

It is just the latest in a series of moves that have reduced either funds or troop deployments to Europe in response to President Donald Trump's complaints concerning NATO allies not spending enough on their defense budgets and other matters. Both North Macedonia and Slovakia are NATO members.

For now, US strips millions in military aid from Europe and Mideast to back remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.