This is the second time the administration has authorized funds to Taiwan under the Foreign Military Financing program, funds that were previously reserved for sovereign nations. In late August, the State Department notified Congress of plans to provide $80 million in military aid, rather than sales, to Taiwan, which China condemned as a violation of the “One China” policy.
Senator Roger Wicker criticized the reprogrammed funds, stating that they are inadequate considering Taiwan’s defense needs against China’s threat. Another $30 million in the Foreign Military Financing money is allocated to Lebanon.
Wicker also criticized the administration for taking funds from a different security partner, especially since Egypt has shown receptiveness to human rights concerns raised by the current administration.
Egypt has been a key partner for Middle East security and regional stability. However, democracy in Egypt has been consistently under threat, with periods of harsh military rule. President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi, who led a coup in 2013 and won the presidency with 97% of the vote in 2014, has been accused of human rights abuses.
Last year, Congress directed the administration to withhold $320 million of the annual $1.3 billion military aid to Egypt until human rights improvements were made. The State Department canceled $130 million in military assistance in 2022 but approved a $2.5 billion arms sales package to Cairo.
Democratic senators have called for the total withholding of the $320 million, citing the Egyptian government’s failure to address human rights abuses. They have highlighted allegations of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture, prison conditions, and severe restrictions on freedoms of expression, assembly, and association.
The State Department and the Pentagon have yet to respond to questions about the redirected funds.
Abigail Hauslohner contributed to this report.