After defeating Fascism in World War II, Washington channeled billions of dollars into the war-torn nations of Europe and Japan, helping transform them into economic success stories and vital democratic allies. That’s a lesson worth remembering as President Trump tries to slash the State Department and its foreign aid programs by about 30 percent in the proposed budget for the next fiscal year, while raising Pentagon spending by 10 percent.

In May, Canberra released its new budget. Many were speculating that the previously embattled government of Prime Minister Tony Abbott – which until recently had been languishing behind the opposition Labor Party in the polls – would be set for a post-budget shakeup if his ratings didn’t improve.

At a time when the world is giving more to aid, Australia has cut its aid budget by a quarter. What does this say about the kind of country [they] want to be?