- Global Health Programs also Face Funding Freeze
Washington, DC (Agencies): The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a sweeping freeze on new funding for foreign aid programs, sparing only key allies Israel and Egypt, as well as emergency food assistance. The freeze, effective immediately, has sparked concern among humanitarian organizations about the potential humanitarian and geopolitical fallout.
A memo from newly confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio directed State Department officials to ensure “to the maximum extent permitted by law” that no new obligations for foreign assistance are made. The freeze, slated to last at least three months, includes life-saving health initiatives, such as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a widely lauded anti-HIV program established in 2003.
PEPFAR, which has been credited with saving 25 million lives globally, faces uncertain funding after its one-year extension expires in March 2025. Other health and development programs are similarly affected, leading humanitarian groups to warn of devastating consequences for vulnerable populations.
“By suspending foreign development assistance, the Trump administration is threatening the lives and futures of communities in crisis,” said Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America. “This decision abandons the United States’ long-standing bipartisan commitment to providing aid based on need, regardless of politics.”
Aid to Israel and Egypt, two of the largest recipients of U.S. military assistance, remains untouched. The memo specifically allows exemptions for “foreign military financing for Israel and Egypt and administrative expenses, including salaries, necessary to administer foreign military financing.” Both nations have faced criticism over their human rights records, but their strategic importance has secured continued U.S. support.
Notably absent from the exemptions is Ukraine, which relies heavily on U.S. military assistance in its ongoing conflict with Russia. This omission has raised questions about the Trump administration’s foreign policy priorities, particularly in light of Ukraine’s struggle to counter Russian aggression since February 2022.
In 2023, the U.S. spent more than $60 billion on foreign assistance, more than any other nation. The current freeze, which allows Rubio to review, modify, or terminate programs within 85 days, represents a dramatic shift in the country’s approach to global aid.
The decision has drawn bipartisan criticism and raised concerns about the impact on global health initiatives, stability in crisis regions, and America’s standing as a global leader in humanitarian assistance.