Trump slams US’ $1.3bn in military aid due to Egypt

US President Donald Trump criticised a draft resolution approved by Congress that includes aid to foreign countries while accusing the Egyptian army of using US aid to buy military equipment from Russia.

This came within the framework of Trump’s rejection of the draft resolution approved by Congress on Monday, into law, which includes a plan for economic recovery against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump said, in a video message from the White House, broadcast on Twitter yesterday evening, that “this bill contains $85.5 million for assistance to Cambodia, $134 million to Burma, $1.3 billion for Egypt and the Egyptian military which will go out and buy, almost exclusively, Russian military equipment.”

He continued: “The draft resolution is called the Covid Relief Bill, but it has almost nothing to do with covid.”

Statement by Donald J. Trump, The President of the United States

Full Video: https://t.co/avKfYctPAD pic.twitter.com/i8IMLhH53Q

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2020

“Congress found plenty of money for foreign countries, lobbyists, and special interests while sending the bare minimum to the American people who need it. It wasn’t their fault, it was China’s fault. Not their fault.”

Trump, who leaves office on 20 January, was expected to sign the new draft resolution approved by Congress, however, he rejected the bill on the pretext that the money should be spent on Americans who are suffering. He went on to describe the project as a “disgrace”.

He urged adjustments to the new budget, which amounted to $900 billion, to increase the stimulus amount for Americans from $600 per person to $2,000 for individuals, or $4,000 for couples.

Under the heading of “Procurement, Defense-Wide”, the act also detailed a total of $500 million for the “Israeli Cooperative Programs”.

Of that amount, “$73,000,000 shall be for the Secretary of Defense to provide to the Government of Israel for the procurement of the Iron Dome defense system to counter short-range rocket threats,” it said.

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