Tue Apr 15 01:08:39 UTC 2025: ## White House Proposes Near 50% Cut to State Department Budget

**Washington, D.C. – April 15, 2025** – The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has proposed a drastic nearly 50% reduction to the State Department’s budget, sparking widespread concern among officials and lawmakers. The proposal, still in its preliminary stages, includes the closure of numerous overseas diplomatic missions, significant staff cuts, and the elimination of funding for almost all international organizations, including the United Nations and NATO.

While the proposal faces an uphill battle in Congress, where it is unlikely to pass without significant amendments or outright rejection, it signals a major shift in the Trump administration’s foreign policy priorities. The cuts mirror similar actions across various federal agencies, including Health and Human Services, the Education Department, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which has already been dismantled. The administration has also moved to defund several other key “soft power” institutions.

Sources within the State Department describe the OMB proposal as “aggressive” in its cost-cutting measures, noting that it echoes similar attempts during President Trump’s first term. Although OMB spokesperson Alexandra McCandless stated that no final funding decisions have been made, the leaked proposal has fueled anxiety among State Department officials.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expressed deep concern, warning that such drastic cuts would leave a vacuum for adversaries to exploit, harming American economic security and prosperity. She emphasized the importance of continued investment in diplomatic programs crucial to national security. The proposal’s fate now rests with Congress, which will review the overall federal budget in the coming months.

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