WASHINGTON — On Monday, President Donald Trump enacted an executive order that puts a temporary halt to all foreign aid programs funded by the United States for a period of 90 days. This pause will allow for an evaluation of whether these initiatives align with his administration’s policy objectives.
At this moment, it is unclear how much of the foreign assistance will be impacted since many programs have already received funding from Congress and have obligations that must be met, even if those funds have already been utilized.
In a broader context of orders he signed upon returning to office, Trump declared that the “foreign aid industry and bureaucracy are not aligned with American interests and in many cases antithetical to American values.” He further stated that such aid can undermine global peace by fostering ideas in other nations that conflict with stable relations inside and between countries.
In the order, the President asserted 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.”
During his confirmation hearing last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined to members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that every dollar spent and every program funded must meet three fundamental questions: “Does it make America safer? Does it make America stronger? Does it make America more prosperous?” The executive order grants Rubio or a designated representative the authority to make decisions on these matters, in collaboration with the Office of Management and Budget. The primary agencies responsible for managing foreign assistance are the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Trump has consistently criticized foreign aid, arguing that it represents a significant expenditure despite typically comprising about 1% of the federal budget. This critique has been particularly apparent in discussions around the substantial military aid provided to Ukraine in response to Russia’s aggression. Trump’s opposition highlighted his concerns about the level of financial support directed toward Ukraine’s defense initiatives.
As of mid-December in the fiscal year 2023, the Biden administration had reported $68 billion in obligated foreign aid funds, which support a variety of programs including disaster relief, health initiatives, and pro-democracy efforts across 204 nations.
Key recipients of U.S. assistance, such as Israel (receiving $3.3 billion annually), Egypt ($1.5 billion), and Jordan ($1.7 billion), are expected to experience minimal changes as these amounts are part of long-standing agreements, some of which are underpinned by treaties established many years ago.
Republican administrations have often targeted funding for U.N. agencies — including those focused on peacekeeping, human rights, and refugee support — for significant cuts. During his first term, Trump took measures to reduce foreign aid budgets, halting disbursements to various UN entities such as the U.N. Population Fund and funding to the Palestinian Authority.
Previously, under the Trump administration, the U.S. withdrew from the U.N. Human Rights Council, along with its financial obligations. Additionally, Biden, while serving as President, signed a bill that limits funding to the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).
