Secretary of State Marco Rubio has paused all U.S. foreign assistance funded by or through the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to review whether the money is in line with President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda. The move is part of the Trump administration’s effort to reevaluate and realign foreign aid, as outlined in his executive order on reevaluating and realigning United States foreign aid.
The review aims to ensure that all foreign assistance programs are efficient and consistent with U.S. foreign policy under the “America First” agenda, which prioritizes the interests of the American people. The goal is to make sure that every dollar spent, every program funded, and every policy pursued justifies the answer to three simple questions: “Does it make America safer? Does it make America stronger? Does it make America more prosperous?”
The pause in foreign aid comes as the Trump administration sent a memo to over 10,000 staff members at USAID, directing them to stop providing foreign aid worldwide or face “disciplinary action” for not complying. The memo outlined expectations for the workforce on how to achieve Trump’s goals to put “America First.”
The U.S. is the largest donor of aid globally, dispensing $72 billion in assistance during fiscal year 2023 and providing 42% of all humanitarian aid tracked by the United Nations in 2024. The review is expected to take 90 days, during which time all foreign aid will be put on hold.
