US Halts Most Foreign Aid, Retaining Only Military Support for Israel and Egypt
The United States halts the majority of foreign aid, preserving only military support and emergency food assistance, in accordance with the 'America First' policy of the Trump administration.
The United States has halted most foreign aid, except for military funding to Israel and Egypt and emergency food assistance.
This action, detailed in a memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, reflects the 'America First' policy that President Donald Trump introduced upon assuming office.
The suspension impacts various aid forms, including development and military support, particularly cutting off funds for the PEPFAR anti-HIV/AIDS program, which is credited with saving millions of lives globally.
However, military aid to Israel, which has increased following the Gaza conflict, and to Egypt, a long-time recipient of U.S. defense funding, is not affected by the freeze.
The U.S. remains committed to providing emergency food assistance in response to global crises, including those in Sudan and Syria.
The memo also details an internal foreign assistance review, with an 85-day timeline for assessment.
Rubio explained the freeze by emphasizing that the administration needs time to evaluate current foreign aid commitments for redundancy, effectiveness, and alignment with Trump's foreign policy.
The U.S. continues to be the largest donor globally in financial support, though many European countries give a higher percentage of their GDP as aid.
In 2023, the U.S. provided over 64 billion dollars in overseas development aid.
The decision has faced criticism, with humanitarian organizations warning of potentially life-threatening consequences for vulnerable populations depending on the aid.
This action, detailed in a memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, reflects the 'America First' policy that President Donald Trump introduced upon assuming office.
The suspension impacts various aid forms, including development and military support, particularly cutting off funds for the PEPFAR anti-HIV/AIDS program, which is credited with saving millions of lives globally.
However, military aid to Israel, which has increased following the Gaza conflict, and to Egypt, a long-time recipient of U.S. defense funding, is not affected by the freeze.
The U.S. remains committed to providing emergency food assistance in response to global crises, including those in Sudan and Syria.
The memo also details an internal foreign assistance review, with an 85-day timeline for assessment.
Rubio explained the freeze by emphasizing that the administration needs time to evaluate current foreign aid commitments for redundancy, effectiveness, and alignment with Trump's foreign policy.
The U.S. continues to be the largest donor globally in financial support, though many European countries give a higher percentage of their GDP as aid.
In 2023, the U.S. provided over 64 billion dollars in overseas development aid.
The decision has faced criticism, with humanitarian organizations warning of potentially life-threatening consequences for vulnerable populations depending on the aid.
