The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has ordered all U.S.-funded aid programs to pause immediately, following President Donald Trump’s 90-day foreign aid freeze. Payments have also stopped, with no disbursements made on Tuesday—the first time since the fiscal year began.
Trump’s order, issued hours after taking office on Jan. 20, aims to review foreign aid under his “America First” policy. The State Department followed up with a “stop work” order on Friday, halting new and existing aid projects. USAID then issued a blanket directive to suspend all activities and spending.
While U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio granted waivers for emergency food, medicine, and shelter, aid groups face uncertainty over definitions and financial risks. A U.N. official said organizations are struggling to determine what assistance can continue.
Before the waiver, a senior aid official described a crisis in treating malnourished children, questioning whether to close stabilization centers, knowing it could result in deaths. Some organizations used internal funds to continue operations, but most cannot.
The freeze is also impacting smaller groups like Casa Frida in Mexico, which relies on U.S. funding for LGBT migrant support. Director Raul Caporal said legal and mental health services are already being cut.
United Nations agencies are seeking clarity, with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calling for more exemptions. The freeze has halted U.N. police training in Italy and mine-clearing operations in Mali and Sudan, affecting critical global humanitarian efforts.
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