Booker Challenges Trump on Military, Funding Decisions

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) has escalated his criticism of President Donald Trump’s administration on multiple fronts, challenging recent military leadership changes and the proposed elimination of congressionally-established foreign aid entities. The New Jersey Democrat warned that these moves threaten institutional independence and potentially violate federal law.

In a strongly-worded letter co-signed with several Democratic colleagues from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Booker contested Trump’s attempts to eliminate the Inter-American Foundation (IAF) and the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) through executive action. According to Insider NJ, the senators argued that such moves would be both illegal and detrimental to U.S. interests.

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Foreign Aid Entities Under Threat

“These entities play a crucial role in promoting U.S. interests in Latin America and the Caribbean and across the African continent by supporting community-driven development, fostering economic growth, and strengthening democratic governance,” the senators wrote. They emphasized that both organizations were statutorily established with bipartisan support—the IAF in 1969 and the USADF in 1980—and cannot legally be dissolved without congressional action.

The letter directly challenged Trump’s February 19 Executive Order, “Commencing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy,” noting that both entities have statutory mandates that “are not discretionary but legally required by Congress and cannot be overridden by executive order.” The senators further argued that eliminating these entities would create a vacuum that “adversarial powers would exploit to expand their influence.”

The IAF and USADF received $47 million and $45 million respectively in the most recent appropriations bills, funds that remain available through fiscal year 2025. In their letter, the senators reminded the president that any reorganization attempts would require prior consultation with Congress and a 15-day advanced notification.

Military Leadership Concerns

Separately, Booker criticized Trump’s firing of Gen. CQ Brown Jr. as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, characterizing it as a dangerous politicization of military leadership. During an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Booker warned that the dismissal sends a troubling message about political loyalty trumping independence and expertise.

“Donald Trump has thrown that out the window and is sending a dangerous message to the military: It’s not about your independent expertise, it’s not about your years of service. It’s about your personal political loyalty to me,” Booker told MSN. He emphasized that the four-year term for the position was specifically designed to ensure independence from political pressures.

Brown was confirmed by the Senate in 2023 with strong bipartisan support, receiving 83 votes in favor of his confirmation. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the dismissal, calling Brown “an honorable man, not the right man for the moment,” while announcing plans to seek new judge advocates general for the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

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Budget and Shutdown Concerns

The senator also addressed looming budget battles, placing responsibility for a potential government shutdown squarely on Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress and the White House. “They are already showing that they want to shut down the government. They’re trying to shut down [the] Department of Education. They’re trying to shut down USAID,” Booker asserted.

When asked about the president’s economic agenda and whether Democrats would work with the administration on inflation issues, Booker criticized Trump’s approach. “This is what a strong president does: They get elected, especially without a mandate, without the popular vote, you come in and say, ‘I want to work with Democrats,'” he said, arguing that Trump’s executive orders had not addressed price concerns.

The New Jersey senator’s confrontational stance reflects growing Democratic frustration with the administration’s unilateral actions across multiple policy areas. While some congressional Democrats have advocated for selective engagement with the White House, Booker has positioned himself as a vocal opponent of what he views as executive overreach.

“I sit with 46 other Senate Democrats, and they are united in this fight, working with state attorneys general, working with governors and working with the greater American population to stop Donald Trump from violating the Constitution, violating separation of powers, violating civil service laws,” Booker said.

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