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The United States has announced an immediate freeze on nearly all foreign assistance programs worldwide, following an executive order issued by President Donald Trump. The order, which halts aid for 90 days, aims to reassess the alignment of foreign aid programs with the administration’s foreign policy objectives.
A cable sent by Secretary of State Marco Rubio to US diplomatic posts outlined the directive, which affects billions of dollars in funding from the State Department and USAID. The freeze applies to various programs, including global health initiatives, development assistance, military aid, and clean water distribution. Exceptions have been made only for emergency food aid and military financing for Israel and Egypt.
Rubio defended the move in a public statement, emphasizing the need for all aid to answer three questions: “Does it make America safer? Does it make America stronger? Does it make America more prosperous?” The administration will review the aid programs within 85 days to determine whether to continue, modify, or terminate them.
The decision has sparked widespread concern among humanitarian organizations and government officials. InterAction, an alliance of NGOs, warned that the freeze disrupts critical programs, including clean water access, education, anti-human trafficking efforts, and medical support for children. The group added that halting aid could create power vacuums that adversaries like China might exploit.
Humanitarian officials have expressed alarm over the immediate and broad impact of the freeze. “It’s a global freak-out at the moment,” one official said, noting that the halt in funding could severely affect global health, stability, and ongoing humanitarian crises.
Programs like the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), which have historically enjoyed bipartisan support, are also impacted. Democratic lawmakers Gregory Meeks and Lois Frankel criticized the decision in a letter to Rubio, stressing that these programs rely on uninterrupted funding to provide life-saving treatments and medicines.
The International AIDS Society (IAS) has also raised alarms, with IAS President Beatriz Grinsztejn stating that halting PEPFAR funding could endanger the lives of over 20 million people reliant on antiretroviral treatment for HIV. “This is a matter of life or death,” Grinsztejn said. “Stopping this funding essentially stops their treatment, risking a resurgence of HIV.”
The freeze has drawn criticism for its potential to harm vulnerable populations in conflict zones such as Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, and Ukraine. Critics argue that foreign aid supports global health, stability, and pandemic prevention, all of which align with American interests.
