Jacqueline Heier, Clémence Van Damme, Elena Alice Rossetti
Jennifer Loy, Chief Editor
February 15, 2025
USAID in Libya[1]
Geographical Area | Worldwide
Countries Affected | Worldwide
On January 20, 2025, US President Trump issued an executive order, imposing a 90-day pause on all US Agency for International Development (USAID) programs to re-evaluate their alignment with the administration’s interests and priorities, stating “All department and agency … shall immediately pause new obligations and disbursements of development assistance funds to foreign countries and implementing non-governmental organizations, international organizations, and contractors pending reviews of such programs.”[2] Trump accused the agency of funneling “massive sums of money to the ridiculous — and, in many cases, malicious — pet projects of entrenched bureaucrats,”[3] while Musk defined USAID “a criminal organization” declaring it was “Time for it to die.”[4] Following the freezing of activities, Trump’s administration disrupted the USAID structure, forcing employees out of US premises,[5] putting staff and contractors on leave or terminating them,[6] and blocking NGOs' access to the payment system.[7] These actions hinder the provision of humanitarian aid worldwide,[8] leading to lawsuits against[9] these presidential decisions, critics[10] and warnings from international humanitarian organizations[11] and advocacy groups to reverse this and keep USAID operative. USAID represents a main donor, with US foreign aid accounting for more than 40% of international aid worldwide.[12] Since funded projects include food, health, shelter assistance, gender equality activities, support for independent journalists, and pro-democracy initiatives, the abrupt interruption very likely endangers human security worldwide. The foreign aid crisis will very likely diminish the US soft power, very likely offering strategic advantages to competitors such as China and Russia.
Security Risk Level:
Areas of High Security Concern: Trump’s executive order of pausing USAID activities for 90 days will almost certainly immediately worsen worldwide vulnerable populations’ access to basic deliverables and healthcare services, considering that directives, frozen funds, and lack of staff will almost certainly render the agency de-facto unfunctional. Lack of humanitarian coverage will very likely endanger human security: refugees and vulnerable marginalized groups, especially in African, Latin American, and Middle-East countries will very likely remain without humanitarian, educational, economic, and social support, very likely leaving them more exposed to terrorist and criminal groups. Healthcare NGOs' inability to implement approved initiatives will likely increase mortality rates from famine, dire hygienic conditions, and illnesses, such as HIV, malaria, and ebola, likely posing risks of pandemics developing unchecked. Paused support for human rights and advocacy groups will almost certainly increase the vulnerability of women, refugees, and marginalized groups, especially those living in authoritarian countries. Activists and independent journalists will likely be at risk in Eastern Europe, likely undermining freedom of the press and respect for human rights. USAID cuts will very likely undermine US soft power and global image, very likely causing long-term strategic setbacks for the US, Western democratic models, and governance based on the rule of law. This shift will very likely increase the influence of US competitors such as China, Iran, and Russia: they will likely exploit the humanitarian field to increase their global outreach and increase developing country dependency and indebtedness. Current Claims: US President Donald Trump; USA; US Agency for International Development (USAID); USAID staff; USAID contractors; USAID inspector general; USAID funded program countering HIV President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEFAR); USAID’s Disaster Risk Management (DRM) program; erducation programs, Education Systems Strengthening and Basic Education; special government employee Elon Mask; US judiciary; humanitarian non-governmental organizations (NGOs); medical NGOs; healthcare NGO Global Health Worker Initiative; World Health Organization (WHO); medical NGOs Malaria No More and International Medical Corps; emergency management program Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs); human rights activists; human rights NGOs Freedom House, Human Rights and Development International, Human Rights Myanmar, Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group for Ukraine (ACA); China Labor Watch; education NGOs; international charity Catholic Relief Services; humanitarian NGO World Food Program (WFP); refugee NGO the Norwegian Refugee Council; humanitarian NGO Oxfam; NGO partnership Freedom Collaborative; human rights groups Kosovo Women’s Network, OVD-Info, Kovcheg, and Viasna; independent journalists; independent media DataCameroon and Slidstvo.Info; Yerevan Press Club; refugees; internally displaced people (IDPs); Afghanistan’s government, the Taliban; human trafficking networks; transnational organized crime (TOCs); terrorist groups; Jihadist groups Al-Shabaab, ISIS, al-Qaeda; Africa; Asia; Europe; Latin America; Middle East; Afghanistan; Armenia; Bangladesh; Belarusan President Lukashenko; Belarus; Cambodia; China; Central African Republic; Congo; Cuba; Ethiopia; Gaza Strip; Georgia; Ghana; Haiti; Lebanon; Mali; Nicaragua; North Korea; Iran; Panama; Pakistan; Peru; Russia; Sierra Leone; Syria; South Africa; South Sudan; Sudan; Ukraine; Venezuela; West Bank; UN Current Conflicts: The ongoing freeze of USAID programs and operational disruption will very likely worsen global human security, very likely limiting drugs and food distribution, especially in volatile areas such as Syria, the Gaza Strip, Sudan, Haiti, and Ukraine. USAID staff, contractors, and partner NGOs working on life-saving activities, even if exempted through the waiver, almost certainly need to navigate and operate through an unclear, complex, and ever-changing set of information and directives, likely challenging their abilities to continue working safely and delivering aid. Uncertainty, impossible access to payment systems, and blocked communication chains very likely keep USAID mainly inoperable, likely spreading cascade disruptions to international humanitarian efforts.
Major Capital Industries: humanitarian NGOs, medical NGOs, emergency management services; human rights advocacy groups; education; independent journalism
Potential Industry Concerns: Dismantled headquarters, furloughed staff, and confusing directives very likely impede USAID and its partners’ continued operations, regardless of the presence of economic assets or waivers. Feezed funds almost certainly force humanitarian NGOs partnering with USAID to pause their projects or find temporary alternative donors to cover for USAID losses. Local NGOs mainly relying on US economic lifelines will almost certainly be forced to cease activities, very likely endangering aid receivers. The suspension of these activities will very likely worsen food and healthcare security, human rights respect, and social assistance. Employees and contractors very likely risk losing wage income in the short term. Organizations implementing humanitarian initiatives related to gender-based support, inclusivity, and support of marginalized groups very likely risk losing their grants after the Trump administration review. USAID will likely become a political and legal battlefield, likely remaining a target of disinformation campaigns that could damage its reputation and its staff’s security.
Areas of Caution:
Geopolitical: The dismantlement of USAID under Trump’s administration raised significant geopolitical concerns, with its effects already becoming evident in global dynamics. USAID, as a tool of US “soft power,” has been instrumental in shaping international relations by promoting American values and ensuring geopolitical influence.[13] The decision to cut its funding allowed rival powers like China and Russia to increase their influence, especially in regions like Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia.[14] In Africa, US aid supported crucial initiatives like governance and health programs that are now at risk.[15] The reduction in US aid has created a power vacuum that China and Russia are quick to fill with their own investments and strategic partnerships. Following the cessation of landmine removal programs in Cambodia,[16] China has stepped in to fund these projects,[17] while in Panama, the government is now poised to join Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), directly competing with US interests.[18] US support to countries in Central America, Lebanon, Syria, and Ukraine has been vital in addressing crises, from countering ISIS and gang violence to promoting long-term stability. The actual cutbacks threaten US influence and its ability to compete with China in pivotal regions such as Africa.[19]
Political: The Trump administration’s stance on foreign aid led to a 90-day freeze and reevaluation of US assistance,[20] with a focus on aligning overseas spending with his “America First” agenda.[21] This resulted in significant challenges for international development programs, as the administration has criticized USAID with claims that its activities are wasteful and unaccountable.[22] While life-saving humanitarian efforts, such as food, medicine, and shelter could theoretically continue under a temporary waiver, other activities including family planning, gender programs, and refugee assistance are excluded from this exception.[23] These exclusions limited the scope of aid, leaving critical humanitarian programs in regions like Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East paused indefinitely, while potentially undermining long-term US influence.[24] The administration’s broader goal of dismantling agencies like USAID without legislative approval created a political rift, raising concerns about the legal and constitutional implications of such actions.[25] Trump fired the inspector general after he issued a report detailing the negative impact of the US administration's decisions on USAID.[26] On February 15, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to restore access to the blocked funding, giving a five-day deadline to comply with the ruling.[27]
Military/Security: The suspension of US foreign aid has immediate negative impacts on security in regions where it was previously relied upon for humanitarian support. In Syria, the aid cuts have created a security vacuum in camps like al-Hol, where NGOs relied on US funding to maintain order and pay guards, which has delayed critical operations such as the return of refugees.[28] This raised concerns about the camp’s ability to maintain security amid volatile conditions, increasing the risk of instability and violence.[29] Similarly, Latin American countries are grappling with the consequences of aid reductions, with vulnerable migrant populations, particularly Venezuelan refugees, being exposed to greater threats from armed groups and organized crime due to the loss of vital support.[30] In Peru, USAID’s efforts to combat illegal drug production through investment in coffee and cacao industries are now hindered by funding cuts, potentially enabling narcoterrorism activities such as cocaine production.[31] The loss of foreign aid directly impacts US strategic interests by weakening the ability of these nations to maintain internal stability and resist extremist or criminal forces.[32]
Economic: The recent pause and cuts to USAID are triggering significant economic disruptions across various regions, particularly the world’s most fragile countries. In nations where US aid constitutes a large portion of the GDP like the Central African Republic, Somalia, and South Sudan, the halt risks causing governance failures and economic collapse.[33] USAID funding has been essential in stabilizing key sectors, from humanitarian assistance to development programs. In Gaza and the West Bank, where the US contributed over $600 million in economic support, the funding freeze is already impacting vital healthcare and humanitarian projects.[34] International organizations, such as Catholic Relief Services, are warning of the consequences of US aid reduction, with many charities now forced to reassess their operations due to funding cuts, leading to potential layoffs and disruptions in service delivery.
Humanitarian aid: In 2024 USAID granted $9.9 billion in humanitarian aid, helping distribute food, shelter, basic necessities, and humanitarian assistance worldwide. After the presidential order issue, the World Food Program (WFP) declared that the stop-work order affected “over 507,000 metric tons (MT) of food valued at more than $340 million.”[35] After the waiver exempting from this order life-savings programs, WFP was able to restart its activities.[36] However, hurdles remain to implement life-saving programs: the payment system Phoenix remains inaccessible forcing NGOs to stop working. The Norwegian Refugee Council, working in approximately 20 countries, including Afghanistan, Sudan, and Ukraine, will be forced to stop USAID-funded projects at the end of February.[37] Oxfam warns the potential USAID shut-down, “would have deadly consequences for millions of people living in dire humanitarian emergencies and extreme poverty.”[38] On February 10, 2025, the Office of Inspector General USAID, issued a report detailing how “recent widespread staffing reductions across the Agency … coupled with uncertainty about the scope of foreign assistance waivers and permissible communications with implementers, has degraded USAID’s ability to distribute and safeguard taxpayer-funded humanitarian assistance.”[39]
Social/Human rights: UASID funding initiatives supporting vulnerable populations such as victims of human trafficking and sexual violence, refugees, and IDPs, and supporting gender equality and inclusion remain blocked. Freedom Collaborative, an organization comprising about 3,000 advocates against trafficking, lost 80% of funding and warned about the suspension of activities in South America,[40] where migrants and refugees are most at risk.[41] In the Western Balkans, the Kosovo Women’s Network underlined aid cuts will leave “women’s groups stranded and unsupported.”[42] In Russia and Belarus, human rights groups helping activists and political prisoners, such as OVD-Info, Kovcheg, and Viasna, foresee reduced activities and increased hurdles.[43] The exemption waiver specifically excludes “gender or DEI ideology programs,”[44] cutting funds for NGOs supporting LGBTQ+ communities in countries that criminalize them, such as Russia[45] and Uganda.[46]
Health: Healthcare activities account for one of the main USAID fields, with the 2025 budget allocating $9.8 billion to increase global health, countering child and maternal deaths, threatening HIV/AIDS patients, checking and containing infectious diseases such as TB and malaria, and supporting the Global Health Worker Initiative.[47] Life-saving medicines and procedures are exempted from the no-work order, based on the waiver, but unclear directions, the impossibility of accessing funding, and terminated staff, often stop deliveries and medical procedures.[48] WHO chief Dr. Ghebreyesus declared that Trump’s actions are having a “serious impact on global health."[49] PEFAR, the ongoing USAID program to counter HIV, providing 70 percent of the overall AIDS response, remains blocked in some areas, such as Ethiopia,[50] Ghana,[51] Haiti,[52] and South Africa.[53] Programs detecting and treating contagious diseases such as malaria, Ebola, and Marburg virus, report disruptions, especially in Africa,[54] with Malaria No More denouncing that the freeze impedes the distribution of $15.6 million of treatments and 48 million preventative medicines.[55] In Afghanistan millions are being stripped of sexual and reproductive health services, risking over 1,000 maternal deaths from 2025 to 2028,[56] and vaccination campaigns stopped.[57] In Bangladesh, 600,000 people, including Rohynga refugees lost access to maternal and reproductive services.[58] War zones and IDP camps risk losing health assistance: projects are on hold in Congo,[59] pandemic risks increase in Sudan,[60] where drugs are expiring[61], and in Syria, 10 clinics serving 35,000 IDPs closed.[62]
Emergency Management: USAID will not be able to deploy Disaster Assistance Response Teams, (DARTs) following Trump’s order, hindering the arrival of these specialized staff in disaster scenarios within 24/48 hours from the emergency.[63] Emergency and crisis response helped countries counter and respond to natural disasters. USAID’s Disaster Risk Management (DRM) program in Ethiopia, launched in October 2024, is vital for improving the country’s resilience to natural disasters like droughts and floods. This initiative is designed to enhance Ethiopia’s ability to anticipate, manage, and respond to emergencies, but funding disruptions threaten its effectiveness.[64] In Pakistan, the funding freeze has halted critical reconstruction projects, such as rebuilding police stations destroyed by floods, complicating recovery efforts.[65] The critical food and health assistance provided by USAID partners in South Sudan highlights the importance of continuous support for disaster-stricken regions. Over 10,000 metric tons of food have been delivered to IDPs, playing a pivotal role in addressing food insecurity and cholera outbreaks.[66] The freeze’s effects on such initiatives underscore the fragility of disaster management systems, particularly in countries already struggling with limited resources and ongoing crises.
Infrastructure: In Ukraine, USAID has been vital in sustaining critical infrastructure, including temporary shelters for evacuees fleeing Russian bombardment, but now faces cuts with expected reductions in energy sector support.[67] The funding damages other essential services, including in the health and education sectors, leaving local governments struggling to address the resulting shortfalls.[68] In the US, the funding freeze has caused considerable disruption for businesses and farms that supplied goods and services to USAID, threatening local economies and global humanitarian efforts.[69] The loss of USAID funding affects smaller organizations and nonprofits, which could face closures, undermining essential infrastructure support.[70] This situation underscores the vulnerability of international infrastructure projects and the US economy, as aid and domestic industries become increasingly interconnected.
Education: The suspension of USAID funding disrupted educational projects globally, with many programs now uncertain. In Afghanistan, an initiative that runs clandestine schools for over 5,000 girls, in defiance of Taliban restrictions, faces delays due to the funding freeze.[71] Concerns are growing about the long-term effects on the education sector in India, with many programs reliant on US funding, such as Education Systems Strengthening and Basic Education, now paused.[72] Similarly, in Mali, USAID’s halting of programs has impacted educational efforts, leaving thousands of students without access to critical learning opportunities.[73] In the Philippines, approximately $94.02 billion in education-related USAID projects are at risk, disrupting teacher training and classroom development programs.[74] While in the US, students pursuing careers in international development are facing job losses and uncertainty, as many education and internship opportunities tied to USAID have been rescinded.[75] These cuts hinder global education and disrupt career paths for aspiring international affairs professionals.[76]
Media/Free Press: Trump’s administration freezes funds allocated to independent media, working in countries with limited free press and expression or in war-torn areas: The USAID 2025 budget allocated $268,376,000 to support “independent media and free flow of information.”[77] These cuts are already forcing news outlets to reduce their activities: DataCameroon had to suspend projects focused on pressipersonnel's safety and the country's upcoming elections; Cubanet, an independent media based in Miami lost $500,000, forcing Cuban independent media to ask for readers' support and leaving their operational continuity at risk,[78] and in Iran, the cuts risk suppressing independent journalism and opposition voices.[79] In Eastern Europe, six independent Belarusian media abroad lost their funding and are about to close, due to the freeze of $1.7 million aid, and a Russian independent media operating in exile lost 10% of its funding.[80] Independent media in Armenia and Georgia risk stopping working or being forced to align with political parties: Armenia independent broadcasters shut down some programs and the Yerevan Press Club president warned that independent media to continue working will be forced to find support from political or business entities,[81] while the Georgian Prime Minister expressed approval for Trump’s decision.[82] USAID represents the main international media donor in Ukraine, where nine out of 10 Ukrainian media companies receive subsidies, accounting for 80% of economic aid for Slidstvo.Info. The freeze in aid in Eastern Europe risks forcing independent media to cease activities or rely on funding entities that might force them to abandon an independent stance, such as political entities or oligarchs.[83]
Pro-democracy and rule of law initiatives: USAID budget 2025 allocated more than $690 million to implement pro-democracy activities in Belarus, China, Cuba, Iran, Nicaragua, North Korea, Russia and Venezuela.[84] Registered frozen economic grants hit Belorusan exiled campaigning against Lukashenko’s victory in sham elections pro-democracy Chinese and Cuban activists, and, a grassroots organization preparing Venezuelan personnel to detect presidential election fraud.[85] NGOs monitoring human rights violations in China and the Freedom House’s China Dissent Monitor project have been suspended, highlighting also personal risks for staffers as some China Labor Watch group temporary staffers risk deportation to China.[86] Human Rights Myanmar warned that the $39 million frozen funds “are vital for organizations challenging military rule and promoting democracy.”[87] In Sierra Leone, Campaign for Human Rights and Development International had to stop an ongoing project working to increase inclusive political participation, after losing access to funding allocated in 2023.[88] In Ukraine, the cuts are targeting initiatives to document and prosecute alleged Russian war crimes, such as the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group for Ukraine (ACA).[89]
Predictive Analysis:
Who: Trump and Musk will almost certainly continue their cuts and review in USAID, very likely focusing on programs not directly linked to food and medicine, such as development, inclusion, and pro-democracy initiatives. USAID personnel, contractors, and related NGOs will try to use waivers to continue programs while starting legal actions to overcome and challenge the closure of the agency or the operational limitations that the Trump administration imposed. International NGOs, human rights advocacy groups, and multilateral organizations, such as the UN, will likely continue underlining the risks of USAID’s freezing and the potential closure of aid programs and advocate for re-establishing essential activities to ensure the continuity of actual humanitarian efforts. US geopolitical competitors, such as China and Russia will almost certainly exploit USAID’s disruption at the mediatic level to accuse the US of previous interference in their internal affairs and will build on future limited US soft power to expand their influence worldwide.
What: The dismantlement of USAID's physical premises, structure, and chain of command almost certainly challenge the re-opening of life-saving programs and jeopardize the continuation of the agency after the 90-day pause. The actual operational situation will very likely impede any aid distribution, regardless of the recent waiver. Local partners, without being able to receive specific instructions and to contact their referent in case of emergency, will very likely take a cautionary approach, likely avoiding restarting programs that contain both life-saving treatments and educational or side activities. They will likely remain inactive, likely fearing misinterpretation might lead the US administration to terminate their programs. The lack of planning and freeze funding will likely force smaller charities to look for another form of funding such as crowdfunding, other institutional donors, or private donors.
Considering more than 40% of worldwide humanitarian assistance relies on USAID grants, primary humanitarian deliveries will very likely suffer stop-work orders, operation disruptions, and delays, very likely exposing aid recipients such as IDPs, refugees, low-income communities, war victims, or marginalized social groups such as women in African and Middle-eastern countries to famine, precarious sanitary conditions, and social exclusion. Interrupted vaccination campaigns and healthcare support will very likely threaten global human security, very likely increasing the spreading of preventable or treatable illnesses, such as Mpox, cholera, or malaria.
Time-sensitive scenarios, such as disaster-relief efforts for extreme natural events will very likely suffer immediately from the cuts and stop-work orders, almost certainly being unable to respond promptly, should a disaster occur. DTARs not deploying will almost certainly mean that US authorities will lack the information and operational safety to deliver any form of assistance. Their absence has a roughly even chance of disrupting international relief efforts, since other countries and humanitarian organizations likely cooperated with them, building on their preparedness and specialization.
Programs promoting human rights, the rule of law, and democratic principles will very likely remain blocked and canceled after the 90-day pause. Authoritarian states will see the stopping of USAID activities as a positive development, likely allowing them to increase their power unchecked. This will very likely decrease democratic values upheld in countries such as Belarus, China, Cuba, Iran, Nicaragua, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela. Activists, independent journalists, and discriminated categories will likely face persecution and personal safety threats under authoritarian regimes.
The suspension and potential closure of USAID programs will very likely decrease USA soft power, likely favoring Chinese economic presence for aid and infrastructure in Asia-Pacific regions. Reduced soft power will very likely worsen the US's perceived image and challenge the historical narrative as a benevolent superpower, likely decreasing the US influence and attractiveness as a positive model worldwide. Decreased US presence and international outreach will likely cement the idea of a multi-polar order, where each country has the right and chance to choose and implement its power model, regardless of the rule of law, human rights, or multilateral oversight bodies, such as the UN.
Why: Trump’s administration will very likely politicize aid, likely erasing the agency’s independence and selecting programs out of alignment with its political agenda or Project 2025. Trump will very likely use USAID funds as a bargaining chip, likely threatening to withhold aid until NGOs, international bodies, or countries comply with his requirements. This will almost certainly weaponize aid, likely shifting the USAID model from a way to empower positive relationships and develop people-to-people exchanges, advancing global security and human rights values to a pressuring tool. The threat of losing aid will likely push NGOs to select projects more in line with the new administration’s narrative and priority, very likely increasing isolation and risks for at-risk categories such as LGTBQ+, refugees, and activists voicing concerns about the new policies. Projects aiming at protecting these categories will unlikely find different donors in the short term but there is a roughly even chance that more structured agencies could switch the allocation of different donors’ grants, trying to cover with alternative funding the projects that Trump’s administration will likely reject. Trump and Mask’s disinformation campaigns, unsupported accusations, and derogatory language against USAID almost certainly delineate a plan to discredit it and close it, regardless of the potential alignment of every single project with the new administration.
The waiver will very likely constitute a make-up measure lacking consistent operational implementation, very likely remaining inapplicable by most of the aid initiatives. The waiver almost certainly addresses only the legal permission to distribute aid and the stop-work order, without resolving material and staff constraints. Blocked access to funding and terminated staffers very likely keep exempt programs on hold, almost certainly disrupting life-saving aid deliveries. While bigger NGOs counting on a well-established presence and structure, such as WFP or International Medical Corps, will likely restart the aid programs following the waiver, smaller local NGOs depending on USAID contracts and grants to operate will almost certainly be forced to stop working. Limiting the waiver to life-saving healthcare and food deliveries very likely aims to address the potential general public’s condemnation, without reopening programs with a more clear geopolitical and political content. The stop of activities designed to support democracy, free press, human rights, and crime persecution will almost certainly decrease the strategic role of USAID, likely limiting its effectiveness in promoting Western values and international accountability.
When: The swift executive orders and the prosecution of the dismantlement very likely aim at surprising different stakeholders, likely to let the administration de facto close USAID. The administration will likely try depriving the personnel and supporters of legal instruments to oppose this in the short term. There is a roughly even chance that the immediate removal of accounts and closing of physical premises aims to disrupt communication among personnel, likely to prevent them from organizing lawsuits or protests. Closing websites, emails, and official channels will very likely impede external partners and stakeholders from talking with USAID directly, likely to limit the spread of their version of events and avoid reorganization after the waiver’s publication.
In the medium term, legal rulings will likely start challenging and reverse Trump’s freezing, likely rebalancing some disruptions to worldwide humanitarian aid. However, Musk and Trump’s imposed operational disruptions will very likely require a long time to reestablish standard operating capacity, very likely leading to continued hiccups and delays. Confusing and contrasting rulings and communication will likely impact re-opening, very likely limiting or delaying re-opening efforts.
In the long term, Trump’s administration has a roughly even chance of distorting the local partners’ impossibility to reopen the exempted programs as proof of USAID inefficiencies. They will likely accuse recipients of being unable or unwilling to properly use US resources to cancel these programs. The administration will very likely try to cancel USAID programs related to inclusion, DEI objectives, reproductive healthcare, and gender-related initiatives, likely leading to a worldwide reduction of inclusivity activities. Cuts in funding for democracy support will likely decrease human rights respect worldwide.
How: Persisting uncertainty will very likely impose a de-facto pause on all projects, likely increasing misunderstanding and mistrust between US-based headquarters and local partners. Lack of or unclear communication will likely spread sentiments of abandonment and usefulness among smaller businesses and local contacts, likely mining the perception of the USA as a reliable and stable humanitarian partner. There is a roughly even chance local NGOs will prefer relying on other findings out of fear of unaccounted interruption or pressure from the new US administration, likely limiting their operational abilities and increasing risks of other external influences. Limited interaction with local NGOs will likely be detrimental to local development aims, likely increasing USAID's focus on generic projects or cooperation with well-known international networks. This approach will likely increase the risk of neglecting specific territorial-based necessities and challenges. The lack of continued local feedback has a roughly even chance of disrupting feedback collection, likely challenging strategies’ adaptation and jeopardizing the overall project implementation and accuracy.
Unsupported or misleading claims against USAID and its previous activities from Trump's allies will very likely increase polarization in the US, likely prompting extremist Trump and Musk supporters’ targeted disinformation campaigns, aimed at describing USAID as a corrupt, anti-American agency. There is a roughly even chance that extremist and far-right groups will start attacking USAID employees and agencies through online harassment, threats, or leaking their personally identifiable information (PII). Overseas personnel will almost certainly feel more at risk, considering they likely operate in volatile areas without an established safety network, lacking access to their standard communication systems. There is a roughly even chance some personnel performing life-saving duties will try to continue delivering essential aid, even if lacking support such as local partners or security personnel feeling compelled to help vulnerable people, likely increasing operational personal risks. There is a roughly even chance that they will become a target of confrontational stance by local partners or local populations feeling abandoned, likely seeing them as a representative of the US administration.
The direct accusation of the employee will likely lead them to feel vulnerable and unsupported by their government, likely challenging their professionalism and leading them to turn to legal actions against the administration. Legal battles will almost certainly increase, since employees, contractors, and international aid receivers will very likely try to reverse or limit Trump’s decisions on USAID, while the administration will likely appeal to reverse any ruling hindering the implementation of the freeze and dismantling. US staff and US-based NGOs will very likely see the US judiciary as the only remaining entity capable of protecting them from unlawful provisions and re-establish USAID functions outlined by Congress. Foreign contractors and international organizations will very likely enjoy limited guarantees in their respective countries. Legal proceedings and executive orders will very likely transform USAID into an American political and legal battlefield, almost certainly shifting the focus away from worldwide humanitarian needs.
Lack of humanitarian efforts and initiatives supporting governance and the rule of law will very likely hinder the stabilization of volatile and war-torn areas such as Afghanistan, the Gaza Strip, Haiti, Somalia, Sudan, and Syria, with a roughly even chance of leaving unsupported populations more vulnerable to extremist, terrorist groups, and TOC. IDP camps in Gaza and Somalia will very likely become a proselytism ground for jihadist groups such as Hamas. al-Shabaab, ISIS, or al-Qaeda. In Africa and Latin America, human trafficking networks and TCOs will almost certainly try to recruit manpower and pressure low-income unsupported individuals to pay for their services, and protection or to immigrate in illegal ways. All these threat actors will likely exploit the dire economic and social marginalization of local communities and capitalize on the feeling of abandonment and untrustworthiness of Western humanitarian organizations.
Limited ongoing projects and the inability to adapt healthcare support to ongoing spreading infections such as Mpox in Congo, TB, and Ebola in Uganda, will almost certainly threaten global health, very likely decreasing early detections, early warning systems, and sanitary surveillance worldwide. Should these viruses remain unchecked due to limited screening and terminated local personnel, new epidemics and pandemics have a roughly even chance to spread and remain undetected. There is a roughly even chance that limited international cooperation will diminish best practice sharing and effective monitoring of specific drugs or clinical plan efficiency, likely delaying healthcare development. Ongoing PEFAR initiatives will very likely face a lack of local partners since contractors have been terminated, interrupted supplies due to disrupted organizational structures, and reduced transportation and support networks needed to let people in need reach hospitals or structures. This situation will likely endanger HIV-positive patients and undermine global HIV countering measures. Maternity services and sexual and reproductive healthcare will very likely remain blocked or underfunded, likely depriving entire population segments of healthcare services in Afghanistan, Haiti, Sudan, and Syria. This will very likely increase pregnancy complications, worsen maternal death rates, and disrupt services caring for gender-based violence (GBV) victims, very likely increasing long-term health complications for women in affected countries.
Stopping funding independent media, especially in Eastern Europe, will very likely prompt them to reduce their outreach or re-modulate their editorial line. The decrease in independent media will very likely force journalists to align with the official authorities’ narrative, flee, or limit expressing objective views on sensitive topics for respective governments. This will very likely increase pro-Kremlin narratives and reduce local voices of dissent in Belarus and Georgia, very likely increasing state propaganda and anti-Western stances. Eastern European media will unlikely find substantial crowdfunding or alternative international donors in the short term, considering the challenging media law implemented by Belarus, Georgia, and Russia. These funding difficulties will likely force them to rely upon oligarchs or businesses aiming to create a favorable public opinion or lobbying for specific topics, likely challenging objective reporting and decreasing audiences’ understanding of actual events and critical thinking.
Russia, China, Iran, Venezuela, and Nicaragua will very likely echo Trump’s accusation and disinformation campaign against USAID, likely claiming USAID meddled in internal affairs and electoral processes. They will likely underline how Western assistance is a political and economic tool to pressure receiving countries to fulfill political requests. Russia will very likely increase messages hinting at the US as an untrustworthy ally, likely trying to spread resentment and distrust in Eastern European countries. China will try to become the main aid and infrastructure provider, likely underlining its different approach, allegedly not interfering with local issues. Relying on China will likely increase debt and decrease the independence of affected countries in the long term. US and Western retreats will very likely leave vulnerable categories such as human rights activists unprotected, likely limiting civil society’s participation and inclusion. There is a roughly even chance that African and Latin American countries will depict USAID and Western initiatives as neocolonial, likely creating grievances that could threaten Western humanitarian personnel.
The Counterterrorism Group (CTG) recommends international humanitarian organizations and the UN continue monitoring the USAID situation to assess the global impact of the US foreign aid pause. International organizations leading specific humanitarian fields, such as WHO, WFP, and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) should inform the general public of the humanitarian disruptions and consequences for at-risk categories through press releases or official interviews, likely increasing awareness and prompting advocacy. Widespread advocacy should promote local organizations and non-US Western states becoming temporarily more involved in grants’ allocation, likely covering imminent financial needs of ongoing international humanitarian projects. Projects addressing potentially sensitive topics for the Trump administration, such as reproductive healthcare, inclusiveness, press freedom, human rights, and LGBTQ+ protection should gain priority. Well-established humanitarian organizations such as the Red Cross, WFP, and Doctors Without Borders (MSF) should continue showing how foreign humanitarian aid helped vulnerable people, likely helping the general public overcome misinformation campaigns aimed at transforming humanitarian efforts into mere political, economic, or diplomatic bargaining chips. Local and international NGOs and USAID staff and supporters should continuously appeal to US government officials to respect humanitarian commitments and advance shared assistance and human rights objectives, evaluating the disruptive global impact of potential aid cancellation. The US government and involved stakeholders should respect the rule of law, implement legal rulings, and foster clear operational guidelines. US officials should follow provisions and the division of powers, respecting USAID independence and its Congress-established mission. Life-saving initiatives should leverage the issued waiver, calling US government to respect the exemption and the judgment’s ruling on keeping staff and re-opening access to allocated funds. Legal groups should support these NGOs, helping them navigate through the legal boundaries, ensuring they are compliant, and continue delivering aid. USAID personnel should remain up-to-date, signaling operational disruption that does not comply with the recent judiciary ruling to the responsible authority. USAID personnel abroad should remain in contact with US-based personnel, likely devising a contingency plan, in case the programs do not restart. They should be mindful of potential grievances, stemming from ongoing disinformation campaigns and lack of aid deliveries and increase personal security measures.
[1] USAID, by Ashe Tohill, licensed under Public Domain (The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.)
[2] https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/reevaluating-and-realigning-united-states-foreign-aid/
[3] At USAID, Waste and Abuse Runs Deep, The White House, February 2025, https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/02/at-usaid-waste-and-abuse-runs-deep/
[4] @elonmusk, X, February2, 2025, https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1886102414194835755
[5] USAID watchdog warns of lack of oversight of $8.2 billion in unspent aid after Trump moves, Los Angeles Times, February 2025, https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2025-02-10/usaid-staffers-turned-away-from-offices-even-after-court-suspends-leave-order
[6] US aid funding cuts put HIV prevention at risk, warns UNAIDS, UN News, February 2025,
[7] Lifesaving Aid Remains Halted Worldwide Despite Rubio’s Promise, The New York Times, February 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/12/us/politics/usaid-waivers-rubio.html
[8] All USAID humanitarian work has effectively stopped, current and former officials say, ABC News, february 2025, https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/usaid-humanitarian-work-effectively-stopped-current-former-officials/story?id=118578076
[9] Judge sets a 5-day deadline for the Trump administration to start lifting its USAID funding freeze, AP, February 2025, https://apnews.com/article/usaid-trump-funding-freeze-musk-lawsuit-67e4c708955a652e5e4d39ce157d6113
[10]Trump's foreign aid cuts 'catastrophic,' says global Catholic charity arm, Reuters, February 2025,
[11] Unspent aid worth billions lacks oversight as Trump dismantles USAID, watchdog warns, AP, February 2025, https://apnews.com/article/usaid-trump-musk-leave-staffers-9099c61b33aa7e4bfd40e849853be3b6
[12] Trump congela gli aiuti, primi stop ai progetti di ong italiane. E i media indipendenti si ritrovano vulnerabili, Corriere della Sera, February 2025, https://www.corriere.it/esteri/25_febbraio_06/dopo-gli-aiuti-congelati-di-trump-primi-stop-ai-progetti-delle-ong-italiane-e-i-media-indipendenti-si-ritrovano-vulnerabili-1f8cb979-d4c4-428f-82d2-21f4564b5xlk.shtml (Translated by Google)
[13] Trump’s push to shut down USAID shows how international development is also about strategic interests, The Conversation, February 2025, https://theconversation.com/trumps-push-to-shut-down-usaid-shows-how-international-development-is-also-about-strategic-interests-249118
[14] The implications of a USAID shutdown, Brookings Institute, February 2025, https://www.brookings.edu/articles/what-comes-after-a-usaid-shutdown/
[15] Ibid
[16] From fighting disease to protecting the Amazon rainforest, USAID has big impact across the globe, AP, February 2025, https://apnews.com/article/usaid-hiv-humanitarian-assistance-disease-spending-20f9cb969ffb6773e57886e34bf69165
[17] Ibid
[18] What does the demise of USAID mean for Canada and Western allies?, CBC, February 2025, https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/usaid-closure-canada-1.7451437
[19] The Cost of the Trump Administration’s Foreign Aid Debacle, Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), February 2025, https://www.cfr.org/article/cost-trump-administrations-foreign-aid-debacle
[20] Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid, The White House, January 2025, https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/reevaluating-and-realigning-united-states-foreign-aid/
[21] What is USAID and why is Trump poised to ‘close it down’?, BBC, February 2025, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyezjwnx5ko
[22] Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid, The White House, January 2025, https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/reevaluating-and-realigning-united-states-foreign-aid/
[23] Emergency Humanitarian Waiver to Foreign Assistance Pause, US Department of State, January 2025, https://www.state.gov/emergency-humanitarian-waiver-to-foreign-assistance-pause/
[24] Why merging USAID into State would undermine US Strategic interests, Brookings Institute, February 2025, https://www.brookings.edu/articles/why-merging-usaid-into-state-would-undermine-u-s-strategic-interests/
[25] Trump’s Move to Gut USAID Reveals the Crux of His Foreign Policy, Carnegie Endowment, February 2025, https://carnegieendowment.org/emissary/2025/02/usaid-trump-foreign-aid-policy-why?lang=en
[26] President Trump fires inspector general of USAID, NBC News, February 2025, https://www.nbcnews.com/now/video/president-trump-fires-inspector-general-of-usaid-231718469968
[27] https://apnews.com/article/usaid-trump-funding-freeze-musk-lawsuit-67e4c708955a652e5e4d39ce157d6113
[28] Inside an Islamic State camp shaken by US aid cuts, BBC, January 2025, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cglyg1wdee3o
[29] Ibid
[30] USAID is going away. Here’s what it’s been doing in South America, AP, February 2025, https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-brazil-colombia-peru-amazon-venezuela-a0e9bb720165da269bf472b0f9cb50d4
[31] From fighting disease to protecting the Amazon rainforest, USAID has big impact across the globe, AP, February 2025, https://apnews.com/article/usaid-hiv-humanitarian-assistance-disease-spending-20f9cb969ffb6773e57886e34bf69165
[32] USAID is going away. Here’s what it’s been doing in South America, AP, February 2025, https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-brazil-colombia-peru-amazon-venezuela-a0e9bb720165da269bf472b0f9cb50d4
[33] ‘We Are in Disbelief’: Africa Reels as US Aid Agency is Dismantled, The New York Times, February 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/08/world/africa/usaid-africa-trump-musk.html
[34] USAID freeze risks ‘deadly consequences’ as work halts in Gaza, agencies warn, NBC News, February 2025, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/usaid-freeze-risks-deadly-consequences-work-halts-gaza-agencies-warn-rcna190553
[35] UN food agency WFP received dozens of US stop work orders despite emergency waiver, Reuters, february 2025, https://www.reuters.com/world/un-food-agency-wfp-received-dozens-us-stop-work-orders-despite-emergency-waiver-2025-02-07/
[36] @WFP, X, February 9, 2025, https://x.com/WFP/status/1888583840697884860
[37] Lifesaving Aid Remains Halted Worldwide Despite Rubio’s Promise, The New York Times, february, 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/12/us/politics/usaid-waivers-rubio.html
[38] USAID freeze risks 'deadly consequences' as work halts in Gaza, agencies warn, NBC News, February 2025, www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna190553
[39] “Oversight of USAID-Funded Humanitarian Assistance Programming Impacted by Staffing Reductions and Pause on Foreign Assistance,” Office of Inspector General US Agency for International Development, february 2025,
[40] USAID shutdown ripples through grassroots groups worldwide: "A huge impact on actual human lives," CBS News, February 2025, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/usaid-shutdown-grassroots-groups-impact/
[41] USAID is going away. Here’s what it’s been doing in South America, AP, February 2025, https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-brazil-colombia-peru-amazon-venezuela-a0e9bb720165da269bf472b0f9cb50d4
[42] Frozen USAID funding strands groups that support marginalized people in the Western Balkans, ABC News, February 2025, https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/frozen-usaid-funding-strands-groups-support-marginalized-people-118519878
[43] Frozen US aid brings new challenges to groups hit by harsh crackdowns in Russia and Belarus, AP, February 2025, https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-freeze-russia-belarus-crackdown-bdf3920e8d0748040deee072815b3423
[44] Emergency Humanitarian Waiver to Foreign Assistance Pause, US Department of State, January 2025, https://www.state.gov/emergency-humanitarian-waiver-to-foreign-assistance-pause/
[45] Frozen US aid brings new challenges to groups hit by harsh crackdowns in Russia and Belarus, AP, February 2025, https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-freeze-russia-belarus-crackdown-bdf3920e8d0748040deee072815b3423
[46] From fighting disease to protecting the Amazon rainforest, USAID has big impact across the globe, AP, February 2025, https://apnews.com/article/usaid-hiv-humanitarian-assistance-disease-spending-20f9cb969ffb6773e57886e34bf69165
[47] “Congressional Budget Justification Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs,” US Department of State, https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/FY25-Congressional-Budget-Justification-FINAL_03052024.pdf
[48] Crucial aid sits in warehouses worldwide as USAID employees are told to stop working, NBC News, February 2025, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/politics-news/trump-usaid-upheaval-paralyzing-global-delivery-food-medicine-rcna190565
[49] Fifty countries affected by USAID freeze, says WHO, BBC, February 2025, www.bbc.com/news/articles/czj3z290ngyo
[50] US aid funding cuts put HIV prevention at risk, warns UNAIDS, UN News, February 2025, https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/02/1159901
[51] From fighting disease to protecting the Amazon rainforest, USAID has big impact across the globe, AP, February 2025, https://apnews.com/article/usaid-hiv-humanitarian-assistance-disease-spending-20f9cb969ffb6773e57886e34bf69165
[52] Trump’s aid freeze sparks mayhem around the world, Reuters, February 2025, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trumps-aid-freeze-keeps-life-saving-programs-shut-sparks-mayhem-2025-02-08/
[53] Experts warn of threat to global health as US freezes overseas aid, BBC, February 2025, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2q13113wwo
[54] Trump congela gli aiuti, primi stop ai progetti di ong italiane. E i media indipendenti si ritrovano vulnerabili, Corriere della Sera, February 2025, https://www.corriere.it/esteri/25_febbraio_06/dopo-gli-aiuti-congelati-di-trump-primi-stop-ai-progetti-delle-ong-italiane-e-i-media-indipendenti-si-ritrovano-vulnerabili-1f8cb979-d4c4-428f-82d2-21f4564b5xlk.shtml (Translated by Google)
[55] Trump’s aid freeze sparks mayhem around the world, Reuters, February 2025, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trumps-aid-freeze-keeps-life-saving-programs-shut-sparks-mayhem-2025-02-08/
[56] UN warns maternal deaths in Afghanistan may rise after US funding pause, Reuters, February 2025, https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/un-warns-maternal-deaths-afghanistan-may-rise-after-us-funding-pause-2025-02-04
[57] US aid freeze hits secret girls' schools, post-flood repair and much more, NPR, February 2025, https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/02/03/g-s1-45815/foreign-aid-halt-trump-afghanistan-girls-school-food-pakistan
[58] US funding pause leaves millions ‘in jeopardy’, insist UN humanitarians, UN News, February 2025, https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/02/1159746
[59] From fighting disease to protecting the Amazon rainforest, USAID has big impact across the globe, AP, February 2025, https://apnews.com/article/usaid-hiv-humanitarian-assistance-disease-spending-20f9cb969ffb6773e57886e34bf69165
[60] Ibid
[61] Trump's Gaza proposal and USAID workers and shipments in limbo: Morning Rundown, NBC News, February 2025, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/trumps-gaza-proposal-usaid-workers-morning-rundown-rcna190746
[62] Trump’s foreign aid freeze forces health clinics in a vulnerable region of Syria to close, AP, February 2025, https://apnews.com/article/syria-usaid-trump-musk-doge-turkey-syria-a9a0b51e811cc0484f134903d4255851
[63] Exclusive: US global disaster response teams unable to deploy following USAID shutdown, sources say, Reuters, February 2025, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-disaster-response-teams-unable-deploy-following-usaid-shutdown-sources-say-2025-02-14/
[64] The US Government Launches New Disaster Risk Management Program, US Embassy Ethiopia, October 2024, https://et.usembassy.gov/the-u-s-government-launches-new-disaster-risk-management-program/
[65] US aid freeze hits secret girls’ schools, post-flood repair and much more, NPR, February 2025, https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/02/03/g-s1-45815/foreign-aid-halt-trump-afghanistan-girls-school-food-pakistan
[66] South Sudan – Complex Emergency, Fact Sheet #1 Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, US Agency for International Development (USAID), December 2024; https://reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/south-sudan-complex-emergency-fact-sheet-1-fiscal-year-fy-2025 (Last access February 9, 2025)
[67] From fighting disease to protecting the Amazon rainforest, USAID has big impact across the globe, AP, February 2025, https://apnews.com/article/usaid-hiv-humanitarian-assistance-disease-spending-20f9cb969ffb6773e57886e34bf69165
[68] Ukraine Fells The Shockwaves As USAID Cuts Start To Bite, RFE/RL, February 2025, https://www.rferl.org/a/usaid-cuts-ukrainian-war-charities-funding-freeze-jobs/33305654.html
[69] Gutting USAID threatens billions of dollars for US farms, businesses, The Washington Post, February 2025, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/06/trump-usaid-money-american-farms/
[70] Ibid
[71] US. aid freeze hits secret girls’ school, post-flood repair and much more, NPR, February 2025, https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/02/03/g-s1-45815/foreign-aid-halt-trump-afghanistan-girls-school-food-pakistan
[72] Trump freezes USAID funding: India’s education center in danger or business as usual?, The Times of India, February 2025, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/education/news/trump-freezes-usaid-funding-indias-education-sector-in-danger-or-business-as-usual/articleshow/117910187.cms
[73] From fighting disease to protecting the Amazon rainforest, USAID has big impact across the globe, AP, February 2025, https://apnews.com/article/usaid-hiv-humanitarian-assistance-disease-spending-20f9cb969ffb6773e57886e34bf69165
[74] USAID closure affects P4 billion in DepEd projects, ABS-CBN, February 2025, https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/2/5/usaid-closure-affects-p4-billion-in-deped-projects-0923
[75] Internships rescinded. Jobs lost. Foreign affairs students ask: What now?, The Washington Post, February 2025, https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/02/09/dc-international-affairs-students-usaid/
[76] Ibid
[77] USA: Trump’s foreign aid freeze throws journalism around the world into chaos, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) https://rsf.org/en/usa-trump-s-foreign-aid-freeze-throws-journalism-around-world-chaos
[78] US-funded Cuban media in limbo after Trump orders USAID closed, Reuters, February 2025, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-funded-cuban-media-limbo-after-trump-orders-usaid-closed-2025-02-10/
[79] USA: Trump’s foreign aid freeze throws journalism around the world into chaos, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) https://rsf.org/en/usa-trump-s-foreign-aid-freeze-throws-journalism-around-world-chaos
[80] Frozen US aid brings new challenges to groups hit by harsh crackdowns in Russia and Belarus, Reuters, February 2025, https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-freeze-russia-belarus-crackdown-bdf3920e8d0748040deee072815b3423
[81] From fighting disease to protecting the Amazon rainforest, USAID has big impact across the globe, AP, February 2025, https://apnews.com/article/usaid-hiv-humanitarian-assistance-disease-spending-20f9cb969ffb6773e57886e34bf69165
[82] USA: Trump’s foreign aid freeze throws journalism around the world into chaos, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) https://rsf.org/en/usa-trump-s-foreign-aid-freeze-throws-journalism-around-world-chaos
[83] Ibid
[84] Trump’s foreign aid freeze could prove to be a boon for the world’s authoritarian strongmen, ABC News, February 2025, https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/trumps-foreign-aid-freeze-prove-boon-worlds-authoritarian-118426673
[85] Ibid
[86] China rights monitors suspend work, lay off staff after US aid freeze, Reuters, February 32025, https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-rights-monitors-suspend-work-lay-off-staff-after-us-aid-freeze-2025-02-14/
[87] From fighting disease to protecting the Amazon rainforest, USAID has big impact across the globe, AP, February 2025, https://apnews.com/article/usaid-hiv-humanitarian-assistance-disease-spending-20f9cb969ffb6773e57886e34bf69165
World USAID shutdown ripples through grassroots groups worldwide: "A huge impact on actual human lives," CBS News, February 2025, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/usaid-shutdown-grassroots-groups-impact/
[89] US funding freeze threatens Ukraine investigations of alleged Russian war crimes, Reuters, February 2025, https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/us-funding-freeze-threatens-investigations-alleged-russian-war-crimes-ukraine-2025-02-10/