Associated Press
The State Department ordered a sweeping freeze Friday on new funding for almost all U.S. foreign assistance, making exceptions for emergency food programs and military aid to Israel and Egypt.
The order threatened a quick halt to many of the billions of dollars in U.S.-funded projects globally to support health, education, development, job training, anti-corruption, security assistance and other efforts.
The U.S. provides more foreign aid globally than any other country, budgeting about $60 billion in 2023, or about 1% of the U.S. budget.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s order, delivered in a cable sent to U.S. embassies worldwide, specifically exempted emergency food programs, such as those helping to feed millions in a widening famine in warring Sudan.
The cable spells out the execution of the aid-freezing executive order President Donald Trump signed on Monday.
But Friday’s order especially disappointed humanitarian officials by not including specific exemptions for life-saving health programs, such as clinics and immunization programs.
A globally acclaimed anti-HIV program, the President’s Emergency Relief Plan for AIDS Relief, was among those included in the spending freeze, slated to last at least three months. Known as PEPFAR, the program is credited with saving 25 million lives, including those of 5.5 million children, since it was started by Republican President George W. Bush.
Some aid projects began receiving their first stop-work orders under the freeze Friday afternoon.
Some leading aid organizations also were interpreting the directive as an immediate stop-work order for U.S.-funded aid work globally, a former senior U.S. Agency for International Development official said. Many would likely cease operations immediately so as not to incur more costs, the official said. The official was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Suspending funding “could have life or death consequences” for children and families around the world, said Abby Maxman, head of Oxfam America.
“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.
At the United Nations, deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said: “These are bilateral decisions but nonetheless we expect those nations who have the capability to generously fund development assistance.”
While Rubio’s order exempted military assistance to allies Israel and Egypt from the freeze, there was no indication of a similar waiver to allow vital U.S. military assistance to Ukraine through.
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Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
7 comments
PeterH
January 25, 2025 at 7:24 pm
Trump can “freeze” spending as much as he desires ….. he’ll still add seven trillion to the national debt!
As reported by leading economist DOGE’s desire to cut two trillion from the budget can not be realized by firing federal employees alone. If Trump fires EVERYONE on the Federal Payroll including Congress and the Supreme Court…..EVERYONE. That savings would only amount to 12% of Musk’s two trillion budget cut. DOGE needs to find an additional 88% to cut.
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Earl Pitts American
January 25, 2025 at 9:34 pm
Welp, America,
It kinda makes sense about the stopping of the Ukraine funding since the 08iden Crime Family can no longer receive their percentage.
What’s that famous leftist saying 0bama kept annoying everyone with … hmmmm was it Earl Pitts American is the Greatest??? … no that was not it … hmmmm … oh yeah Here It Is:
“ELECTIONS HAVE CONSAQUINCES” … Yeah that was it,
Earl Pitts American
Mr. Eagle
January 25, 2025 at 11:25 pm
President Obama “governed” from a niche nicknamed “the hole” in his mansion on Martha’s Vineyard during the reign of The Biden Crime Family.
KathrynA
January 25, 2025 at 10:10 pm
Sickening! Think of children starving and having absolutely no access to health care. They are already so mean and vindictive. Surely not following the First and Greatest Commandment- I see no love for aGod or others!
beachcomberT
January 26, 2025 at 7:40 am
Likely to damage US reputation in developing nations.
Andrew
January 26, 2025 at 10:31 am
YES !!!!!! It’s about time !!!!!! That is, it’s about time that the United States starts to take care of our own people and stops giving away money ( we can’t afford and don’t have) to other places before our own people. Spend those billions of dollars right here at home. Let’s stop being the “World’s ATM Machine” and spend our money (yes OUR money) right here at home !!!!!!