The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation strongly denounced the cuts the White House proposed in the FY 2018 budget Thursday, emphasizing that slashing foreign aid and research and development will decrease safety around the globe.
“We are deeply troubled that the budget proposal disproportionately affects the poorest people, abroad and at home,” Sue Desmond-Hellmann, CEO of the foundation, said in a statement. “Empowering people to lead healthy, productive lives creates more stable societies, which are critical to our national security.
The statement also included a fact sheet touting the benefits of providing foreign aid.
Trump’s budget blueprint, released Thursday morning and titled “America First,” proposed steep cuts to foreign aid.
This past February, Bill Gates had said “America First” rhetoric could threaten global security. “If you interpret America First in certain ways, it would suggest not prioritizing the stability of Africa and American leadership” he told USA Today.