Key Takeaways:

• The Trump administration has enforced a foreign aid freeze through the USAID, aligning with its "America First" policy.
• A memo warns USAID staff of disciplinary actions for non-compliance with the directive.
• The freeze raises uncertainties for humanitarian groups reliant on U.S. aid, which amounted to $72 billion in 2023.

The Trump administration has issued a strong directive to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), mandating a review of its foreign aid allocations in alignment with President Trump's "America First" policy. The memo, disseminated on January 26, outlined expectations for over 10,000 USAID employees and threatened “disciplinary action” for any staff who do not comply with these orders, effectively establishing a sweeping freeze on U.S. foreign aid globally.

According to a report by The Guardian, the administration's new approach seeks to transform long-standing foreign assistance practices, with a specific emphasis on justifying aid allocations under Trump's leadership. Ken Jackson, assistant to the administrator for management and resources at USAID, highlighted the responsibility of the staff to support the President’s vision in the internal memo titled “Message and Expectation to the Workforce.”

This directive follows an instruction from Trump for a 90-day pause in foreign aid while the alignment with foreign policy priorities is examined. The U.S. State Department has issued a stop-work order, placing billions of dollars in aid under scrutiny. Notably, in fiscal year 2023, the U.S. provided $72 billion in foreign assistance, making it the largest single donor globally. This extensive measure has prompted shock and concern among humanitarian organizations and communities involved in development aid, as indicated by reports from Reuters.

The memo clarified that during the pause, spending is halted with the only exceptions for emergency humanitarian food assistance and for government officials returning to their duty stations. Waivers for emergency aid will necessitate detailed justification and approval by both USAID leadership and the Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This freeze not only reflects a significant policy shift but also introduces a rigorous review process for all foreign aid programs. Each will face thorough scrutiny, marking a notable change in operations within USAID.

Moreover, communication restrictions are detailed in the memo, banning outreach beyond the agency unless permitted. This directive has resulted in immediate measures, where USAID contractors have been instructed to halt ongoing tasks and revise existing awards, potentially delaying essential operations in countries relying on U.S. assistance.

Humanitarian organizations are racing to gauge the implications of these actions, as uncertainties abound regarding which services will be interrupted. In the current context, the U.S. accounted for 42 percent of all humanitarian aid reported by the United Nations in 2024, underscoring the monumental impact this policy shift may have on global humanitarian efforts.