The United States of America has drastically cut its aid to the Maldives as part of President Donald Trump’s vow to put ‘America first’.

While the US had previously provided Maldives with an average of USD 3.3 million every year, this amount has been slashed by at least 86 percent – with the Trump Administration now providing only USD 440,000.

The US has cut foreign-aid, as per the internal budget proposed in March, to Sri Lanka as well. While the neighbouring island nation had previously received 42.5 million, it shall now receive roughly 3.3 million. 

Bangladesh, which had previously received 210 million from the US, will now receive 138 million. 

The budget further proposes to cuts in funding for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which would force the organization to close regional offices, according to American media outlets,

While the foreign-aid cuts would reportedly lead to allocating funds toward programs tied closely to national security objectives, there have been reports that the Trump administration intends to merge USAID with the State Department.