The U.S. State Department on January 24 ordered a freeze on new funding for almost all U.S. foreign assistance programs as part of President Donald Trump's push to align the programs with his foreign policy goals.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent a message to U.S. embassies worldwide spelling out the implementation of an executive order Trump signed on January 20 saying 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."
Trump's order said current U.S. foreign aid is "not aligned with American interests and in many cases antithetical to American values." It said aid programs "serve to destabilize world peace" by promoting ideas that conflict with stable relations within the countries they serve and relations between those countries and others.
The executive order calls for a 90-day pause in U.S. foreign development assistance to assess efficiencies and "consistency with United States foreign policy." The sweeping order affects new disbursements of funds to foreign countries, NGOs, international organizations, and contractors pending reviews of the programs.
SEE ALSO: The Kremlin Shrugs At Trump's New Sanctions Threat. But Should Putin Be Worried?Trump and other Republicans had vowed to crackdown on U.S. foreign aid programs, and Rubio's memo justified the freeze by saying it was impossible for the new administration to assess whether existing foreign aid commitments "are not duplicated, are effective, and are consistent with President Trump's foreign policy."
The new chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Representative Brian Mast (Republican-Florida), promised this week that Republicans would question "every dollar and every diplomat" in the State Department's budget to ensure it met their standards for strictly necessary.
Mast said in a press release after Rubio was confirmed as secretary of state that he intends to work with Rubio to “root out” waste at the State Department.
The ranking member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee reacted to the move by saying it "undermines American leadership and credibility" around the world.
"United States foreign assistance programs promote stability in other countries to help stop crises from expanding directly to our doorstep," Representative Gregory Meeks (Democrat-New York) said in a letter to Rubio. "Foreign assistance is not a handout; it is a strategic investment in our future that is vital for U.S. global leadership and a more resilient world."
The letter said U.S. foreign aid directly serves U.S. interests and demonstrates the country's credibility to allies, partners, and vulnerable people who rely on American assistance for survival.
By pausing current programs and preventing new ones the United States would "cede this space" to its adversaries, said the letter, which was also signed by Representative Lois Frankel (Democrat-Florida), the ranking member on the House National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Subcommittee.
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"For years, Republicans in Congress have decried what they see as a lack of U.S. credibility vis-a-vis countries like China, Russia, and Iran. Now our credibility is on the line, and it appears we will cut and run from American commitments to our partners around the world," Meeks and Frankel said.
Rubio's order exempts emergency food programs, such as those helping to feed millions in Sudan. Trump's executive order does not mention military aid, but Rubio’s message specifies that military assistance to Israel and Egypt are exempt.
There was no indication of a similar waiver for U.S. military assistance to Ukraine; however, the Biden administration accelerated the disbursement of already approved aid for Ukraine before leaving office over concerns Trump would discontinue it. There is still about $3.85 billion in congressionally authorized funding for future arms shipments to Ukraine and it is up to Trump whether or not to spend it.
The United States is the world's biggest donor, providing tens of billions of dollars annually.