Trump’s new foreign aid plan eyes $50mn for Greenland’s polar bears, $25mn for Nepal's snow leopards

The Trump administration is considering whether to spend up to $50 million in foreign aid to protect polar bears in Greenland and $25 million for snow...

The Trump administration is considering whether to spend up to $50 million in foreign aid to protect polar bears in Greenland and $25 million for snow leopards in Nepal.

The move, which has not been previously reported or publicly announced, stunned diplomats and elected officials from the United States and other nations, as well as scientific researchers who work on conservation efforts for the animals involved, many of whom noted the administration’s dramatic cuts to other US foreign assistance.

The Greenland initiative is particularly noteworthy, as Trump - citing the Arctic island’s strategic location and rich natural resources - has repeatedly expressed a desire to acquire the semiautonomous territory through purchase or annexation. 

Greenland remains part of the Danish realm, and its people have expressed little interest in Trump’s solicitations.

In a statement acknowledging the conversations that are underway, the State Department said that biodiversity funding was being considered only because it was mandated by Congress before Trump returned to the White House.