Hillary Clinton Slams Trump, Calls Proposed Budget Cuts A ‘Grave Mistake’
Hillary Clinton is no longer the United States’ Secretary of State, but that doesn’t mean she has lost her enthusiasm for speaking her mind about the state’s affairs, especially when it comes to criticizing the current U.S. president, Donald Trump.
During a speech on women’s rights at Georgetown University on Friday, Clinton slammed Trump over his proposed budget cuts to international aid, explaining that it would undermine America’s stature as a diplomatic country, CBS News reports. More importantly, she says that it will be devastating for children and women.
“We are seeing signals of a shift that should alarm us all,” Clinton said. “This Administration’s proposed cuts to international health, development and diplomacy would be a blow to women and children and a grave mistake for our country.”
Hillary Clinton warns of President Trump's "grave mistake" on budget cuts to foreign aid https://t.co/fNwUVuR5ek pic.twitter.com/ZBrafZcRoh
— TIME (@TIME) March 31, 2017
Hillary Clinton cited a petition letter signed by more than 120 retired generals and admirals urging Congress and the Trump administration not to withdraw support for key programs in the government.
“These distinguished women and men who have served in uniform recognize that turning our back on diplomacy won’t make our country safer,” she added. “It will undermine our security and our standing in our world.”
Trump's budget proposal would cut after-school programs to state's neediest children. Today's @gbpressgazette, design by @BLueGariGari. pic.twitter.com/CpBA2wMa93
— Bill Wambeke (@unfiltereddad) March 31, 2017
“I am pleading that our government will continue its leadership role on behalf of peace in the world because the world must continue this work with or without U.S. involvement,” Clinton continued.
Read Hillary Clinton's Georgetown speech on women's role in peace and politics https://t.co/XErJ1ylCrx
— TIME (@TIME) March 31, 2017
The event saw Hillary Clinton presenting the Hillary Rodham Clinton Award to four Colombian women who made significant contributions in securing a peace agreement in their country.
As previously reported by Reuters, President Donald Trump proposed a 28-percent budget cut for U.S. diplomacy and foreign aid next year. The budget cut was proposed with the goal of saving $3.1 billion in security aid to Israel in mind. Additionally, the budget cut would reduce funding for the United Nations, climate change, and cultural exchange programs.
Hillary Clinton took another subtle swipe at Donald Trump by championing women’s rights in her Georgetown speech.
“Women are not inherently more peaceful than men. That is a stereotype. That belongs in the alternative reality,” she said, deftly referencing Kellyanne Conway’s infamous “alternative facts” statement.
Clinton dug right into the heart of the matter, explaining that women’s rights are not a partisan issue but a human one.
“Advancing the rights and full participation of women and girls is the great unfinished business of the 21st century,” she said. “It is not a partisan issue, it is a human issue. A rising tide of women’s rights lifts entire nations.”
After delivering facts proving that women are just as competent, if not better, than men in securing peace negotiations with other countries, Clinton couldn’t help herself as she deftly ridiculed Donald Trump for his propensity towards fact-denial.
“Here I go again, talking about research, evidence and facts,” she said, drawing wild cheers from the audience.
Clinton’s subtle shade at Trump seems to be a response to the Trump transition team’s instruction to the State Department to turn over all information related to “gender-related staffing, programming, and funding.” After acceding to the order, a State Department official admitted they were unsure as to the intent of the request, the Washington Post reports.
“The Trump team could be looking to advance gender issues and make it a priority — or you could look at it as a witch hunt,” the official said.
“These types of requests send a cold chill through the Department and career diplomats dedicated to their work and service to the country,” another different State Department official said. “It’s devastating to morale.”
Hillary Clinton seems to be enjoying being in the spotlight again since her defeat in the presidential race late last year. When she walked in, students of Georgetown wildly cheered her on, chanting “Hillary, Hillary.”
“Thank you. Wow, let’s do that again,” Clinton joked.
[Featured Image by Win McNameed/Getty Images]
