As Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy calls for more U.S. aid to fend off Russia's invasion, 2024 GOP presidential primary candidate Nikki Haley is denouncing the $46 billion the Biden administration delivered in foreign aid last year.
That money even, shockingly, goes to fund our enemies, Haley warned in an op-ed for the New York Post on Friday night.
"America spent $46 billion on foreign aid last year," she wrote. "That's more than any other country by far. Taxpayers deserve to know where that money is going and what it's doing. They will be shocked to find that much of it goes to fund anti-American countries and causes. As president, I'll put a stop to this fiasco."
Haley detailed the foreign aid ticketed for countries that might not have America's best interests at heart — "almost comical if it weren't true," according to Haley:
- Iraq: "We've given Iraq more than $1 billion over the last few years, even though its government is getting closer to the murderous thugs in Iran who shout 'Death to America!' and launch attacks on our troops."
- Pakistan: "The Biden administration resumed military aid to Pakistan, though it's home to at least a dozen terrorist organizations and its government is deeply in hock to China."
- Palestine: "Team Biden restored half a billion dollars to a corrupt United Nations agency that's supposed to help the Palestinian people but, in fact, covers for deeply antisemitic propaganda against our ally Israel."
- Belarus: "The U.S. gives money to Belarus, which is Russia's strongest ally."
- Zimbabwe: "We give hundreds of millions of dollars to Zimbabwe, a country with one of the most anti-American voting records in the UN.
- China: "American taxpayers still give money to Communist China for ridiculous environment programs, despite the obvious threat China poses to Americans.
- Cuba: "We even give money to Communist Cuba — a country our own government has designated as a state sponsor of terrorism."
"This is not just Joe Biden," Haley noted. "It's been happening for decades under presidents of both parties. Our foreign-aid policies are stuck in the past. They typically operate on autopilot, with no consideration for the conduct of the countries that receive our aid.
"The Washington bureaucracy and its defenders in Congress inevitably dig in to save these global giveaways. It will take a determined president to root out these taxpayer rip-offs."
Haley noted backing "Ukraine is smart," but "sending our tax dollars to enemies isn't."
"That's why I will cut every cent in foreign aid for countries that hate us," she wrote. "A strong America doesn't pay off the bad guys. A proud America doesn't waste our people's hard-earned money. And the only leaders who deserve our trust are those who stand up to our enemies and stand beside our friends.
"I will be that president, just as I was that ambassador."
Countries would bash America publicly, only to "privately" beg the U.S. for handouts, Haley noted from her time as former President Donald Trump's U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
"I lost confidence in our leaders, who know what's happening but keep letting our enemies pig out at the taxpayer trough," she continued. "Year after year, Congress throws billions of dollars at our enemies and their allies, instead of focusing on America's allies and our interests.
"As ambassador, I strongly supported President Donald Trump's decision to cut nearly $2 billion of military aid to Pakistan because that country supports terrorists who kill American troops. It was a major victory for our troops, our taxpayers and our vital interests, but it didn't go nearly far enough. We've still given them way too much in other aid. As president, I will block every penny."
Haley detailed the countries that get money from America and then ultimately do not "vote with us."
"We are giving huge amounts of cash to countries that vote against us most of the time," she concluded. "That doesn't make sense. I'll stop it. America can't buy our friends. We'll certainly never buy off our enemies.
"No country has a right to the American taxpayer's money. Our leaders have a responsibility to protect our people and promote our interests. Our politicians aren't doing that, all the way up to President Joe Biden. It's about time we had a president who did."