The White House will propose to the US Congress a 21% reduction in foreign aid, while increasing funds to counter Russia and China  in its budget request for fiscal year 2021 (starting on October 1), Reuters reported referring to senior administration officials.

According to the source, the US leaders will seek to make a 21% cut in foreign aid, while the proposal seeks $44.1 billion in the upcoming fiscal year compared with $55.7 billion enacted in fiscal year 2020.

The administration will ask for $ 700 million from the recently launched US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). DFC is a development bank that, in collaboration with the private sector, provides assistance to developing countries.

The budget application for 2021 will be published on Monday, Reuters added.

A year earlier, Trump proposed reducing the amount of foreign aid provided by the US by $ 13 billion, but then he faced resistance from Congress.

The presidential budget proposal is a request sent to Congress that describes the priorities of the administration. The members of the House and Senate develop and approve government spending, after which the head of state signs or rejects the final document.