US to divert $52 million in military aid from Europe and Middle East to Trump-friendly nations in Americas

The Trump administration is redirecting $52 million in military aid from countries in Europe and the Middle East to help back US-aligned governments in the Americas. The US State Department notified Congress on Tuesday that it would divert the funds from Iraq, Tunisia and NATO members Slovakia and North Macedonia to Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Panama. The US State Department said the funding would go towards combatting "narcoterrorism in our backyard" and helping "continue to secure the Panama Canal," adding that it would "prevent adversaries from establishing strategic footholds in our hemisphere." The impacted countries are still expected to receive some assistance despite the change, although the exact amount is unclear.