US lawmakers say $40 million per week still reaches Afghanistan
WASHINGTON — Two U.S. lawmakers, Tim Burchett and Marjorie Taylor Greene, claim that $40 million per week is still being sent to Afghanistan, where the Taliban are profiting from the funding.
Representative Tim Burchett, a Republican from Tennessee, alleged that cash flown into Afghanistan via charter jets is ultimately benefiting the Taliban and Al Qaeda.
“Per week, $40 million in taxpayer money is ending up in the hands of the Taliban, and then it’s later being auctioned off,” Burchett said at a press conference. “Cash is flown by charter jets into Afghanistan. It’s auctioned off to the Taliban in order to exchange it for Afghan currency. From there, the Taliban will get it to the NGOs, who have to pay taxes on that money,” he said.
Burchett added: “The NGOs have to be approved by the Taliban, and every time the NGOs spend the money, the Taliban take a cut. When the money is exchanged for Afghan currency, the Taliban take a cut. The Taliban also determine who can receive foreign aid. Most of the time, these people are either Taliban or Al Qaeda.”
Burchett, who introduced the No Taxpayer Funding for Terrorists Act, said that since the Taliban took power in 2021, the U.S. has continued to send financial aid, which he argues has been exploited by the regime.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, another Republican lawmaker, called the continued financial assistance a “disgrace” to American taxpayers.
“The American people work hard and pay high taxes, and to see their money go directly into the hands of terrorists is blatant abuse,” she said. “Not only is cash flown into Afghanistan every week, but NGOs are injecting money into the Afghan economy, and the Taliban are taking a significant share.”
According to Burchett and Greene, the weekly $40 million cash transfers follow a process that ultimately benefits the Taliban:
In response to these allegations, members of Congress are pushing for the passage of the No Taxpayer Funding for Terrorists Act, which aims to prohibit U.S. financial aid from reaching Afghanistan under Taliban rule.
If passed, the legislation would go through several steps before becoming law.
Burchett said the bill is essential to ensuring that American taxpayer dollars do not end up funding terrorism.
The claims made by Burchett and Greene align with concerns raised by John Sopko, the former Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR).
Sopko, who has investigated U.S. spending in Afghanistan, said earlier this year that the Taliban benefits from all aid sent to Afghanistan, including humanitarian assistance.
While the U.S. government and international agencies argue that aid is strictly monitored and does not directly fund the Taliban, critics insist that the regime’s control over the country ensures they profit from every dollar that enters Afghanistan.
As the debate over U.S. aid to Afghanistan continues, Congress is expected to hold further discussions on the proposed legislation, which could significantly impact humanitarian funding for the country.
