KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – US Congressman Tim Burchett has called on President-elect Donald Trump to stop the country’s financial support to the Taliban, citing concerns over the misuse of funds, particularly their potential use in financing global terrorism.
In a letter addressed to Trump, who is set to take office as the 47th US president in less than two weeks, Burchett voiced concern about US taxpayer money being funneled to the Taliban. He emphasized that the US should not fund its adversaries abroad.
During the 118th Congress, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken admitted that non-governmental organizations had paid nearly $10 million in foreign aid to the Taliban as taxes, Burchett noted.
“The larger issue, which Secretary Blinken failed to acknowledge, is the shipment of cash payments in United States dollars to Afghanistan’s central bank,” Burchett said. He added that such cash shipments are impossible to track and claimed the Taliban uses these funds to finance terrorism worldwide.
The Congressman also highlighted a bill he introduced in 2023, H.R. 6586, titled “To Require a Strategy to Oppose Financial or Material Support by Foreign Countries to the Taliban.” The legislation aimed to discourage foreign governments from providing financial or material support to the Taliban and required reporting on direct cash assistance to the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan Central Bank. Although the bill passed unanimously in the House of Representatives, it did not receive a vote in the Senate.
“I plan to reintroduce this legislation in the 119th Congress and would gladly welcome your support,” Burchett wrote to Trump.
“The United States of America should not fund its enemies abroad,” the Congressman stated. “I implore you to take action to put an end to wasteful foreign aid spending and support efforts in Congress to put Americans first,” he added.
Burchett’s letter gained further attention after being reposted by US billionaire Elon Musk, a close aide to Trump, who questioned whether the US is sending taxpayers’ money to the Taliban. Burchett replied, “We are, sir. I passed the bill to stop it in the House, but the Senate refused to take it up.”
The US continues to be the largest donor to Afghanistan since the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021, providing over $3 billion in humanitarian aid, according to the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR).
While the UN says that these funds are allocated strictly for humanitarian purposes and kept out of the Taliban’s reach, concerns persist that some of the money may end up in the Taliban’s hands and could be used to finance terrorism.
Recently, US lawmakers, SIGAR, and anti-Taliban groups have raised these concerns, with some advocating for a suspension of funds until assurances are made that the aid reaches the right hands.
Last year, Senator Marco Rubio, Trump’s nominee for Secretary of State, introduced a similar bill calling for the withholding of US aid to Afghanistan. “American taxpayer dollars should not benefit terrorist organizations, like the Taliban. Unfortunately, we are seeing this scenario play out today, in real time,” Rubio told Fox News. “Until we can be sure, we should withhold contributions to the U.N.,” he added.
