President Donald Trump has signed an executive order temporarily halting all U.S. foreign assistance for 90 days to review whether these programmes align with his administration’s policy goals.
It is unclear how much foreign aid will be impacted immediately, as many programmes already have funding allocated by Congress, which must still be spent or has already been used.
The executive order, part of several actions Trump took on his first day back in office, criticised the foreign aid sector, stating that the “foreign aid industry and bureaucracy are not aligned with American interests” and, in some cases, promote ideas that “destabilise world peace” and conflict with U.S. values.
The order emphasises that no further U.S. foreign assistance will be disbursed unless it is fully aligned with President Trump’s foreign policy objectives.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during his Senate confirmation hearing last week, stressed that every foreign aid program should be evaluated by three key questions: “Does it make America safer? Does it make America stronger? Does it make America more prosperous?”
The order places the responsibility of reviewing foreign assistance programmes with Rubio or his designee, in consultation with the Office of Management and Budget.
The State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) are the primary agencies overseeing foreign aid.
Despite foreign aid generally accounting for about 1% of the federal budget, Trump has long criticised its use.
His administration has especially taken issue with funding for Ukraine, where billions have been provided to support the country’s defense against Russia’s invasion.
The most recent report from the Biden administration, which tracks foreign aid funding, shows that $68 billion was allocated in 2023 for initiatives abroad, including disaster relief, healthcare, and pro-democracy programs across 204 countries and regions.
ALSO READ: BJP launches visionary manifesto for Meghalaya ADCs elections
While some U.S. aid recipients, such as Israel, Egypt, and Jordan, are unlikely to see major reductions due to long-term agreements or treaties, funding for U.N. agencies—such as those focused on peacekeeping, human rights, and refugees—has traditionally been targeted for cuts by Republican administrations.
The Trump administration previously reduced U.S. contributions to various U.N. agencies and withdrew from the U.N. Human Rights Council.
It also halted funding for the U.N. agency assisting Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) through legislation signed by President Joe Biden in March 2023.
