US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced a sweeping freeze on foreign aid, with limited exceptions for Israel and Egypt, according to an internal memo circulated within the State Department.
The memo, issued as part of a review of foreign assistance programs, instructed senior officials to halt all new obligations for foreign assistance "to the maximum extent permitted by law." The directive states that no new funds shall be committed for new programs or extensions of existing ones until Secretary Rubio personally reviews and approves them for consistency with President Donald Trump’s policy agenda.
The freeze is set to impact a wide range of US foreign aid initiatives, including military assistance to Ukraine, which had received billions of dollars in weapons under former President Joe Biden. The pause also affects PEPFAR, the US-led global HIV/AIDS program, which provides life-saving anti-retroviral drugs in developing countries, primarily in Africa. However, exceptions have been made for US contributions to emergency food assistance programs, which address crises in regions such as Sudan and Syria.
This decision aligns with a broader directive from President Trump, who ordered a 90-day pause on foreign development assistance to ensure its alignment with his foreign policy objectives.
The move has sparked criticism from humanitarian organizations. Oxfam America President Abby Maxman expressed concern, stating, “Humanitarian and development assistance accounts for only around one percent of the federal budget; it saves lives, fights diseases, educates millions of children, and reduces poverty.” Maxman warned that the freeze risks undermining decades of bipartisan consensus on the importance of US foreign assistance.
As the review progresses, the administration’s decisions will be closely watched, particularly regarding the implications for global health and security initiatives that rely on consistent US support.
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