WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is moving to gut the office of the White House “drug czar” according to a preliminary budget document and an email message that its acting director has circulated to agency staff.
The proposed $364 million cut would leave a budget of just $24 million for the agency and would eliminate its two major grant programs.
The eliminations involve the high-intensity drug-trafficking area program, which just received $254 million for grants to help states and localities to fight drug trafficking, and the $100 million drug-free communities program, which helps local organizations battle drugs in their communities.
The document is a preliminary White House proposal for the drug czar’s office that is subject to change before being released later this month. It was obtained by a former Obama administration official and shared with The Associated Press.
The cuts could cut staffing for the office nearly in half.
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