Food distribution is being stopped. Health services are being shut down. Lifesaving aid is being tied up, with no way to disburse it. These aren’t warnings of what’s to come, but examples of what aid workers say is the fallout of the Trump administration’s freeze on foreign aid and the gutting of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

President Trump’s pause on aid, and the gutting of the primary aid agency, could jeopardize the health of more than 20 million people worldwide, including 500,000 children, experts say.

The Trump administration has halted U.S. foreign aid distribution by placing USAID staff on leave, impacting global programs and creating uncertainty. U.S. foreign assistance totaled $71.9 billion in 2023, representing just 1.2% of federal spending. Ukraine received the largest share, followed by Israel, Ethiopia, and others.

Since the inauguration, the incoming Administration has imposed spending freezes and stop-work orders on a wide swath of American foreign-aid enterprises. Funding for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)—which,

An overzealous effort at reforming the U.S. Agency for International Development will dismantle programs that enhance U.S. security, save lives, and boost United States’ image around the globe.

InterAction CEO Tom Hart sits down with Margaret Brennan to discuss the impact of the pause on foreign assistance. InterAction is a coalition of about 170 NGOs.

Does America stand to lose anything if Pepfar disappears? What lies ahead for the US Agency for International Development? Are Trump’s executive orders even legal? Daily Maverick tackles key questions about the 90-day pause on US foreign aid.