Congressman Tim Burchett has called on President-elect Donald Trump to halt U.S. foreign aid allegedly being funneled to the Taliban. In a letter to Trump, Burchett expressed “strong concerns” about taxpayer dollars being used to support what he described as “terrorists.”
Burchett claimed that during the 118th Congress, it was revealed that U.S. foreign aid, under the Biden administration, was indirectly funding the Taliban. “When I questioned Secretary Antony Blinken about this, he admitted that non-governmental organizations paid nearly $10 million of foreign aid to the Taliban in taxes,” Burchett wrote.
The congressman also raised alarms about cash shipments sent to Afghanistan’s central bank, stating they are difficult to track and could be exploited by the Taliban. “These cash shipments are auctioned off, and after that, they are nearly impossible to trace. This is how the Taliban is being funded and plans to fund terrorism around the world,” he alleged.
Burchett referenced legislation he introduced in 2023, which sought to discourage foreign governments from providing financial or material support to the Taliban and required reporting on cash assistance programs linked to Afghanistan’s central bank.
“My bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously,” he said. “Unfortunately, then-Majority Leader Chuck Schumer refused to bring the bill to a vote in the Senate. I plan to reintroduce this legislation in the 119th Congress and would gladly welcome your support.”
Burchett urged Trump to prioritize ending what he described as wasteful foreign aid spending. “The United States should not fund its enemies abroad,” he wrote, emphasizing the need for swift action to prevent American taxpayer dollars from indirectly supporting the Taliban.
