George W. Bush Speaks Out on Foreign Aid, Path to Citizenship, ‘the Wall' — and That Rain Poncho Incident

WASHINGTON -- As President Donald Trump proposes dramatic cuts to foreign aid to help fund a border wall, former President George W. Bush argued in an interview with NPR on Thursday that spending on other countries is a matter of national security.Bush, who lost his bid to overhaul the country’s immigration system while in office, also predicted the U.S. will eventually provide a pathway to citizenship for those living in the country illegally. And the Texan called for America to maintain its positive relationship with Mexico at a time of growing tensions between the Trump administration and the southern neighbor. "Look, we can't solve every problem. And I would tell the person who's out of work, hopefully there's enough aid there to help you transition,” Bush told NPR, in a recent interview at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas. “But, you know, the idea of turning our back on a pandemic that would've wiped out an entire generation of people, I don't think is in the spirit of the United States."While in office, Bush oversaw an uptick in foreign aid, specifically with a program called PEPFAR (the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) that helped combat the spread of HIV and AIDS in Africa. NPR noted the program is not targeted for cuts in the Trump budget proposal.Bush, who did not criticize the Trump administration in the interview to promote his book of oil paintings of veterans, said he focused on Africa for moral and national security reasons.   Continue reading...