The Trump administration has frozen all new USAID foreign aid programs. The move has disrupted health, humanitarian, and development efforts worldwide.
Anne Linn, a senior community health adviser at the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), lost her job along with 390 colleagues. “I have never been more stunned in my life,” she said.
Health Workers Forced to Stop Operations
PMI worked in 30 sub-Saharan African countries. It fought malaria by supplying medicine, bed nets, and preventive care. But after the aid freeze, community health workers in Nigeria, Kenya, and Cameroon had to halt their work.
“Children will die unnecessarily,” Linn warned. The PMI website has been taken down. A message states that it is under review to align with Trump’s policies.
Trump Orders 90-Day Foreign Aid Review
On his first day in office, Trump signed an order pausing all new foreign aid commitments. Four days later, he extended the freeze for 90 days to review aid spending.
The USAID website now consists of only one page. It states that, after February 7, most employees will be placed on administrative leave. The only exceptions are those handling “mission-critical functions.”
Elon Musk has been tasked with overseeing USAID’s efficiency. He called it a “criminal organization” and said it was “time for it to die.”
Uncertainty for Humanitarian Groups
Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a waiver for “life-saving humanitarian assistance.” This includes medicine, food, and emergency shelter. But many aid workers still do not know if their programs qualify.
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Jesse Marks, a senior advocate at Refugees International, called the situation “a mess.” He said aid groups had received stop-work orders but could not get answers from USAID.
“Who decides which programs are life-saving? Who is approving the waivers?” Marks asked.
Ukraine Faces Funding Shortage
The funding freeze has also hit Ukraine. The US was a major donor for rebuilding war-damaged infrastructure, media support, and anti-corruption programs.
Denys Bihus, director of the independent news outlet Bihus Info, said 65% of their funding came from USAID. The freeze means his newsroom may not survive.
“This completely eradicated regional media,” he said. “Many journalists will have to find other jobs. Ukraine is losing specialists it may never get back.”
Aid Freeze Sparks Global Crisis
USAID contributes 42% of the world’s humanitarian aid. Many countries depend on this funding for health, agriculture, and disaster relief. Finding new donors could take years.
The uncertainty has left aid organizations scrambling. “We will try to survive,” Bihus said. “Ask me again at the end of March.”
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