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By Gabe Whisnant
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On Friday, the State Department announced a freeze on new funding for almost all U.S. foreign assistance programs, with exceptions for humanitarian food initiatives and military aid to Israel and Egypt.
This sweeping directive aims to quickly halt myriad global projects that support health, education, development, and job training, marking the start of President Donald Trump's promised elimination of aid programs he deems not in U.S. interests.
Newsweek has reached out to the State Department via email Friday afternoon for additional comments.
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Why It Matters
The order, communicated through a cable to U.S. embassies worldwide and obtained by The Associated Press, prohibits new government spending and implies that existing programs will only continue as long as they have available cash.
As the world's largest provider of foreign aid, the U.S. allocated approximately $60 billion in 2023, which represents about 1 percent of the national budget.
What To Know
The State Department plans to use the freeze period to review which of the thousands of U.S. aid and development programs will be allowed to continue. This process is in line with an aid-freezing executive order signed by President Trump on Monday.
The directive reportedly does not include exemptions to ensure the continuation of health clinics and other health programs worldwide.
The global cable stated that the freeze was essential to ensure that "appropriations are not duplicated, are effective, and are consistent with President Trump's foreign policy."
This move signifies a significant shift in U.S. foreign aid policy and has prompted concerns among global aid organizations about the immediate impact on vulnerable populations. As the largest provider of foreign aid, the U.S. plays a crucial role in numerous developmental and humanitarian efforts worldwide, and this funding freeze could disrupt many critical services and programs.
What People Are Saying
Trump's Monday Executive Order states: "The United States foreign aid industry and bureaucracy are not aligned with American interests and in many cases antithetical to American values. They serve to destabilize world peace by promoting ideas in foreign countries that are directly inverse to harmonious and stable relations internal to and among countries.
"It is the policy of United States that no further United States foreign assistance shall be disbursed in a manner that is not fully aligned with the foreign policy of the President of the United States."
Amy W. Hawthorne, a former State Department official during President Barack Obama's administration, posted on X, formerly Twitter: "Sec. of State Rubio has just directed stop-work orders to be issued for most current US foreign aid programs - meaning existing projects and activities, those dating to Biden and maybe Trump 1 administrations, until a review is completed. I believe this is unprecedented."
Suspending funding "could have life or death consequences" for children and families around the world, said Abby Maxman, head of Oxfam America, told the Associated Press: "By suspending foreign development assistance, the Trump administration is threatening the lives and futures of communities in crisis, and abandoning the United States' long-held bipartisan approach to foreign assistance which supports people based on need, regardless of politics," Maxman said in a statement.
What Happens Next
Within the next month, standards will be set to review all foreign assistance, aligning it with President Trump's policy agenda. The comprehensive government-wide review is expected to be completed within three months, culminating in a report. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will use this report to make recommendations to the president.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Update: 1/24/25, 5:16 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and comments.
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