President Donald Trump has proposed cuts to major international health initiatives — a move raising concerns about the potential negative effects for American diplomacy and countries worldwide, according to a Los Angeles Times report.
Here are seven things to know.
1. The U.S. Agency for International Development, which helps administer U.S. foreign assistance, would see significantly less funding under President Trump's 2018 budget proposal, according to the report.
2. The president's administration also seeks to cut funding for major international heath initiatives such as the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, according to the report. PEPFAR works to combat HIV/AIDS worldwide.
3. Additionally, President Trump's administration plans to eliminate U.S. contributions to the United Nations Population Fund, reports the Los Angeles Times. UNFPA is a UN agency that supports safe childbirth and women's healthcare internationally.
4. Along with these various cuts, the White House has tightened guidelines on what aid the U.S. can provide organizations offering family planning and other health services, according to the report.
5. Former Republican Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, MD, said in the report President Trump's proposed cuts would have a negative affect on people's health.
"If the U.S. chooses to drastically cut its foreign assistance, including for HIV/AIDS, nutrition and family planning, we risk reversing our strides over the past 25 years to reduce extreme poverty and disease worldwide," he said, according to the Los Angeles Times. "That potentially creates a domino effect, which could lead to nation destabilization, conflict and catastrophic loss of life."
6. Additionally, more than 100 evangelical and Catholic leaders who work on international aid called on President Trump not to eliminate U.S. support, reports the Los Angeles Times.
"From Genesis to Revelation, the Scriptures compel us to care for the marginalized," the leaders wrote in a letter. "If we can protect the lives of mothers and children, we can intervene not just to save lives but also to establish a foundation of health and wellness to uplift communities, societies and nations."
7. The White House has said eliminating the monies will allow the U.S. to fund domestic projects like repairing aging bridges and airports, as well as building a new wall along the U.S./Mexico border, according to the report.
"These steps to reduce foreign assistance free up funding for critical priorities here at home and put America first," the White House explained in its 2018 budget proposal released in March.
For more on this story, read Noam Levey's full report here.