Your Letters for Sept. 26, 2025

Farmers are being treated like sacrifices

As a former resident of St. Joseph, I have a lot of respect for the area farmers. They deserve better treatment from our government. Farmers were treated as pawns in 2017 when the first tariff battle took place. China cut purchases, especially soy beans and never returned to previous purchase levels. Farmers have been under the gun since then.

This year farmers are being treated like sacrifices in another tariff war. China has retaliated against our farmers as part of the trade war started when astronomical tariffs were imposed on China in April.

Farmers are going broke because of this travesty. Our government needs to figure out how to do tariffs so our farmers are not penalized. Senators Hawley and Schmitt need to get to work to turn our farmers loose to feed the world.

Steve Wulff
St. Louis

Foreign aid

History.

In 1946 the U.S. government began giving money to foreign countries in post-war Europe so they could rebuild, it was through a new program called “Foreign Aid.” They also started to give funds to other countries for various purposes. Today’s goals are for humanitarian, development, military and political aid projects.

There are 196 countries, of which 173 have received aid. Toady, Afghanistan and Ukraine top the list; in theory we create global security and stability that serves U.S. security. USAID, with its 4675 employees, and the State Department paid out $43.8B in 2023. Since 2001, the most aid has gone to Afghanistan ($145.9B). The foreign military sales program (buying U.S. weapons) — 2024, $17.9B, is part of Trumps “American First Program” which would replace foreign aid. The total spending since 2001 has been 1.4% of the budget.

Who else gets aid? Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Ethiopia and as mentioned a “host” of others. In 2019, 35% of the people said they would increase aid, 33% said keep the same, and 28% said decrease it. Plus, many, many more, a 2024 survey of adults 73% said we are taking measures to protect the country from terrorist attacks with these funds!

In the last 20 years the U.S. has given out $1.3T in aid!

2001: $24.6B. 2005: $27.5B. 2010: $50B. 2014: $43.1B. 2016: $49.4B. 2018: $46.9B. 2020: $60B. 2022: $74B. 2023: $71.9B. 2025: $58.4B. Latest numbers available.

In 2023, F.A. was used to fight counter terrorism efforts to the tune of $417.8M. It also was 1.17% of the budget. Currently the U.S. is the largest donor to the U.N. — roughly 40% is from USAID.

In 2023, Ukraine ($16.8B) and Israel ($3.3B) received these funds. The median package was $43.7M. With 173 of the 196 countries receiving foreign aid. With 88% of these countries received $99.8B. 27% of the aid was used for economic development, 21.7% for humanity issues, with 22.5% for health care needs, and 14.2% on peace. Estimates from Keil Inc., estimates $128B, F.A. goes to the different governments for humanitarian support.

Taking the Ukraine support alone, the 2022 Russian invasion was cause for them being the #1 recipient of F.A. The U.S. spending just on Ukraine was 2022: $67B; 2023: $47B; 2024: $61B; 2025: $20B.

Ukraine assistance in 2020-2024 for equipment consisted of them wanting over 110 for different weapons. Trump’s 2025 “Freeze Aid” (weapons) was suggested, but will NATO and the E.U. support this plan? After all, it is only $175B.

I know this report is a little confusing, but have you ever tried to look up numbers provided by the government and the “great” computers with only old info? And numbers that are more than a year or more old, or yet still not in the system. Maybe they hope we would not find out how bad things are without the numbers to go by?

Ben Pecora
St. Joseph