The White House has recommended cutting funding for nearly two dozen international programs that investigate war crimes and promote justice in past and current conflict zones including Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Ukraine, Syria, and others, Reuters reports.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued the recommendation this week, proposing an end to long-standing State Department-funded efforts that support local justice initiatives and collect evidence of atrocities. Programs affected include those aiding war crimes prosecutions in Ukraine, such as Global Rights Compliance and Legal Action Worldwide.
While the decision is not final, State Department Bureaus must justify retaining any of the programs by July 11. Officials said the chances of Secretary of State Marco Rubio defending many of the programs are slim, despite his past support as a Senator.
Critics said this move signals a retreat from the U.S.’s global human rights leadership. Among the programs at risk is an $18 million grant supporting Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office.
The cuts come amid broader efforts to realign U.S. foreign aid under “America First” policies.
Sources said this could severely undermine efforts to hold Russia accountable and affect war crimes documentation in several countries, including Myanmar, Syria, and Sri Lanka.
