Pentagon receptive to Tunisian lobbying against proposed Trump aid cut

Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed received some encouraging support from US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis today at the start of a two-day visit to Washington aimed at reversing proposed aid cuts.

Chahed made the Pentagon his first official stop on his first US trip as head of government, underscoring the importance of the US-Tunisian relationship as the fledgling democracy battles domestic terrorism and instability in next-door Libya. His trip’s success will largely hinge on Chahed’s ability to reverse a proposed 82% cut in US military assistance over the fiscal year 2016 under President Donald Trump’s budget blueprint.

“We hope that we can count on the steady support of our strategic partners in the United States,” Chahed wrote in an op-ed published over the weekend by United Press International. “For America and all nations with a stake in the success of Tunisia’s democratic experiment, betting on Tunisia is betting on the right side of history.”

Mattis appeared receptive to the argument. According to a readout of their meeting, the secretary of defense lauded Tunisia for its “leadership in promoting regional security and stability in northern Africa” and “expressed his desire for greater defense cooperation in the future.”