President Trump’s 2020 budget was crafted, in large part, with an eye towards the 2020 election as he seeks to continue delivering on promises made during his first campaign.
As reported by the Washington Examiner, the 2020 budget contains requests for an additional $2 billion in funding for his promised border wall, adding to the $18 billion already secured for more than 80 percent of its construction.
Also, Trump seeks to increase spending on the Veterans Administration, as well as NASA.
The budget request also focuses on rural America. The president seeks more money to rebuild and construct roads and bridges in underserved areas, while also providing additional funding for rural Internet.
Trump also wants to cut funding to the United Nations, trim the size of the Environmental Protection Agency, and reduce foreign aid. And for the remaining aid to foreign countries, the president wants to put conditions on the money so that it is not spent inappropriately or for things it was not intended to fund.
The EPA, an agency officials called “bloated,” would be cut by 26 percent under the budget plan.
The president’s $4.8 trillion “Budget for America’s Future” also highlights cuts he wants and has requested in the past but have been brushed aside by Congress, the news site reported.
“He has a different way of approaching spending than other presidents,” one official, who hopes the public will evaluate it and vote for its approach in the fall election, told the news site.
“We’re going to have a national election that will hopefully decide that Congress is going to be on the side of the American people and taxpayers who balance their family budgets,” said the official.
As for foreign aid, “We should no longer give people free money,” said a Trump official. “We’re creating more friction in the spending of federal dollars.”
On Sunday, an administration official, speaking on background, said the president also wants to reduce the deficit.
“From day one, President Trump has taken deficits and spending very seriously—which is why the Trump administration has proposed more spending cuts than any administration in history,” the official said.
“Getting our fiscal house in order with a budget that balances in 15 years will eliminate unnecessary spending and save $4.6 trillion over 10 years. For the first time ever, the FY21 budget will include a specific chapter defining waste, fraud, and abuse within the federal government,” the official continued, the Washington Examiner reported.
“Our budget makes very clear that America will remain a global leader when it comes to industries of the future, preventing emerging threats to fill the void.”