White House seeks drastic cuts to US funding for war crimes investigations

AUTHOR:M.J. GDNUS

The White House on Tuesday recommended cutting funding for nearly two dozen programs that investigate war crimes and accountability around the world, including in Myanmar, Syria and alleged Russian crimes in Ukraine, according to two U.S. sources familiar with the matter and internal government documents reviewed by Reuters.

The Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) recommendation, which has not yet been made public, is not a final decision to end the programs, as the State Department has the right to appeal.

But it opens up the possibility of a showdown between the OMB and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his aides, who will respond with their own proposals on which programs deserve to continue. The programs include work in Iraq, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Gambia.

The State Department and OMB did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

According to two U.S. officials, Rubio is unlikely to argue for most of the programs to continue. Still, the top U.S. diplomat could make a case for keeping key programs, such as supporting potential war crimes trials in Ukraine, a source familiar with the matter said.

Several of the programs proposed to be cut are related to war crimes accountability projects in Ukraine, three sources confirmed, including Global Rights Compliance, which helps collect evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity across Ukraine, such as sexual violence and torture.

Another is the Legal Action Network, a group that provides legal assistance and supports local efforts to bring cases against Russian war crimes suspects in Ukraine, the sources said.

The group did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

Departments of the State Department that want to keep any war crimes and accountability programs must submit their justification by the end of business on July 11, according to an internal State Department email seen by Reuters.

Shifting priorities

Since taking office on January 20, President Donald Trump’s administration has frozen and then slashed billions of dollars in foreign aid to ensure that American taxpayer money funds programs that align with his “America First” policy.

These unprecedented cuts have effectively shut down the leading aid agency, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), jeopardized the delivery of vital food and medical supplies, and thrown global humanitarian operations into disarray.

The OMB recommendation further underscores the administration’s declining priority for human rights advocacy and the rule of law globally, which previous U.S. administrations have sought to promote.

While cuts to U.S. foreign aid that have hampered international efforts to hold Russia accountable for alleged war crimes in Ukraine have already begun, yesterday’s recommendations raise the risk that the United States will abandon those efforts altogether.

Among the programs proposed for closure is an $18 million grant from the State Department to the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office, which is being implemented by Georgetown University’s International Criminal Justice Initiative, two sources said.

While these programs do not directly affect Ukrainian forces on the front lines of defense against the Russian invasion, their proponents argue they represent the best opportunity to comprehensively document reported battlefield atrocities in Europe’s largest conflict since World War II, now entering its fourth year.

Ukraine has opened more than 140,000 war crimes cases since the Russian invasion began in February 2022, which has left tens of thousands dead, devastated large swaths of the country and left deep mental and physical scars from the occupation. Russia has consistently denied that its forces committed war crimes in the conflict.

Path to appeal

Other programs include those working to hold Myanmar’s military accountable for crimes against the Rohingya minority, as well as the persecution of Christians and other minorities under former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, two sources said.

While the OMB recommendations may face opposition from the State Department, the criteria for appeal are very strict.

In an internal State Department email, the administration warned that any attempt to preserve programs proposed for elimination must be clearly justified and fully aligned with Washington’s priorities.

“Offices must clearly and concisely demonstrate a direct connection to administration priorities,” the email, reviewed by Reuters, said.