The Student News Site of Florida Gulf Coast University

Eagle Media

Eagle Media

Eagle Media

Trump cutting foreign aid is not cruel

Donald Trump is planning to significantly cut the money used by the United States on foreign aid, and his opponents are unfairly using it to further the notion that he is an uncaring, cruel individual.

Let me be very straightforward. Foreign aid has become a waste for American taxpayers.

Providing aid sounds like a great idea, however, American foreign aid does little to help grow the countries America is trying to help.

According to Time Magazine, three countries, Nigeria, Somalia and South Sudan, are currently in a massive humanitarian crisis. All are dealing with famine or the possibility for famine which could potentially kill millions. South Sudan is also fighting a civil war.

Story continues below advertisement

However, it is unfair to blame Trump for the famine, hunger, misery and death in those countries due to the humanitarian crisis.

Every one of those countries are corrupt and have dealt with food shortages before Trump.

South Sudan is destabilized due to the civil war, which occurred long before Trump was elected.

Somalia has been destabilized for decades due to civil wars and wars against neighboring Ethiopia.

Those problems can not be blamed on Trump, because he did not cause them, and he can not be blamed on future issues simply for the fact that those issues were caused by the ruling parties of those countries.

Should those people be helped? Yes. Should the United States federal government be responsible for the majority of the aid? No.

Sudan, Nigeria and Somalia have been long-time recipients of aid and have been horrible countries to live in.

Only Nigeria has grown to be a significant economic force due to oil, but the country still can not produce enough food for its people to eat.

Instead, they have developed into a political tool by the ruling elites in those countries allowing for the continuation of corruption.

America has been a major donor of aid. Historically, America has given aid in times of crisis since the 1900s. The United States is the largest donor by country. Technically, the European Union gives more, but the EU is comprised of multiple countries compared to the United States.

However, the country must reduce the foreign aid simply because it has become pointless for our country. The aid development payments have failed, and we must no longer continue giving them to appease corrupt foreign governments.

The other UN countries should donate more if they seriously believe foreign aid to be a significant geopolitical issue.

Lastly, those that use emotional arguments to defend foreign aid for political purposes are completely disingenuous.

Honestly, they don’t care about aid. They simply want to use it as a tool to smear their opponents.

It is not cruel to cut aid to struggling countries. It is cruel to waste the American taxpayer’s money by misinforming him. The payment in reality is not used to feed the hungry people. The money is  kept by foreign politicians or used for other shady political purposes.

Truthfully, you don’t need to use foreign aid to smear Trump as an evil human. There are a multitude of other materials one can use — which are also disingenuous.

If you truly want to help starving people in foreign countries, find a charity or church organization that goes to those countries to actually help them.

Foreign aid is just a waste. You aren’t helping starving, diseased children with that money. You are being scammed by someone who wants to steal your money.

Leave a Comment
More to Discover

Comments (0)

All Eagle Media Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *