US problems stop at foreign aid, leaked memo says

The US State Department has halted all existing foreign assistance and halted new aid, according to an internal memo sent to US officials and embassies abroad.

The leaked notice follows President Trump’s executive order issued Monday for a 90-day pause on foreign development assistance pending a review of efficiency and consistency with his foreign policy.

The United States is the world’s largest international aid donor spending $68 billion in 2023 According to government figures. The State Department’s advisory appears to affect everything from development assistance to military aid.

It makes exceptions only for emergency food aid and military funds for Israel and Egypt. The BBC has confirmed the contents of the leaked memoir.

“No new funds will be obligated for new awards or extensions of existing awards until each proposed new award or extension has been reviewed and approved,” the memo to staff says.

It adds that US officials “will immediately issue stop work orders, in accordance with the terms of the relevant award, until such time as the Secretary determines, after a review.”

It also orders a large-scale review of all foreign assistance to be completed within 85 days to ensure the aid adheres to President Trump’s foreign policy goals.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the United States’ top diplomat, has previously stated that all U.S. officials say spending abroad should take place only if it makes the United States “stronger,” “more secure.” ” or “more prosperous.”

A former senior State Department official told the BBC that the notice meant a “potentially large” impact on US-funded foreign aid programs.

“You can imagine, for example, humanitarian relief programs around the world suddenly being told to stop work. That’s a pretty big problem,” said Josh Paul, who oversaw relations with Congress on transfers. weapons at the State Department until the end of 2023.

Dave Harden, a former mission director for the International Aid Agency (USAID) in the Middle East, told the BBC the move was “very significant”, saying he could see humanitarian and development programs funded by the United States around the world being suspended immediately, suspended immediately, pending the review.

He said it could affect a wide range of critical development projects including water, sanitation and shelter.

“The employees of the implementation partner or the (non-governmental organization) could be paid, but I think the actual assistance needs to be stopped,” Harden said.

“I’ve been through (assistance suspensions) many times when I was director of the Western Mission and Gaza, but that was specific to that account. This is global… it’s extremely broad,” he said.

“Not only does it stop assistance, it puts a ‘stop work’ order on existing contracts that are already funded and underway. It’s extremely broad,” he added.

The AFP News Agency reported that the funding freeze could also affect Ukraine, which received billions of dollars in weapons under Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden.

Rubio’s memo, justifying the freeze, said it was impossible for the new administration to assess whether existing foreign aid commitments “are non-duplicative, effective, and consistent with President Trump’s foreign policy.”

Rubio has issued an emergency food assistance waiver, according to the memo.

This comes amid a surge of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip after a ceasefire began between Israel and Hamas, and several other hunger crises around the world, including Sudan.

The memo also said Rubio has so far approved waivers for “foreign military financing for Israel and Egypt and administrative expenses, including salaries, necessary to administer foreign military financing.”

The State Department has been contacted for comment.