New Secretary of State Marco Rubio has initiated a pause on all U.S. foreign aid in response to an executive order from former President Donald Trump.
The executive order, issued on President Trump’s first day in office, mandates a 90-day freeze on foreign aid to allow for a comprehensive review of its effectiveness and alignment with U.S. foreign policy.
Evaluating Foreign Aid Programs
The review aims to assess “programs for programmatic efficiency and consistency with United States foreign policy,” according to U.S. officials. Trump has frequently criticized foreign aid as inefficient and counterproductive, arguing that wealthier nations fail to contribute proportionally.
“America is like a one-way street, so we want other people to help us,” Trump told reporters. “We are spending billions and billions and billions of dollars, and other wealthy countries are spending zero. Why should we be the only ones?”
Bipartisan Pushback Against the Pause
The freeze has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers, particularly Democrats. Representatives Gregory Meeks (D-NY) and Lois Frankel (D-FL) issued a letter to Secretary Rubio, warning that the funding halt “puts lives at risk” and undermines U.S. credibility on the global stage.
