Marco Rubio, Secretary of State
Politico is out with a really fascinating report after it obtained a report displaying steering from new Secretary of State Marco Rubio. It says that — opposite to stories on the time — that yestrday’s govt order from Trump will lower off overseas help to Ukraine.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio halted spending Friday on most current overseas help grants for 90 days. The order, which shocked State Division officers, seems to use to funding for navy help to Ukraine.
Rubio’s steering, issued to all diplomatic and consular posts, requires division staffers to challenge “stop-work orders” on practically all “current overseas help awards,” in accordance with the doc, which was obtained by POLITICO. It’s efficient instantly.
My guess right here is that Politico obtained one thing improper or there’s some confusion on the State Dept as a result of this goes immediately in opposition to what they had been saying.
The brand new steering means no additional actions can be taken to disperse help funding to applications already permitted by the U.S. authorities, in accordance with three present and two former officers acquainted with the brand new steering.
Rubio has been a supporter of Ukraine and a hawk from the start so it might be an odd twist from him as effectively. That mentioned, Trump currently has talked about pressuring Ukraine to just accept some kind of peace.