U.S. Cuts Foreign Aid by 90%, Leaving Little Left for Advocates to Save
The Trump administration has announced plans to eliminate over 90% of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) foreign aid contracts and $60 billion in overall U.S. assistance worldwide, a move that would significantly reduce the majority of U.S. development and humanitarian help abroad.
According to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press, the administration plans to terminate 5,800 of 6,200 multi-year USAID contract awards, resulting in a cut of $54 billion. Additionally, the State Department will eliminate 4,100 of 9,100 grants, worth $4.4 billion.
The Cuts: What They Mean
The cuts will leave few surviving USAID projects for advocates to try to save, as ongoing court battles with the administration continue. The Trump administration has already frozen thousands of U.S.-funded programs abroad, and the majority of USAID staff have been pulled off the job through forced leave and firings.
What’s Behind the Cuts?
The memo suggests that officials are "clearing significant waste stemming from decades of institutional drift." The administration claims that USAID projects advance a liberal agenda and are a waste of money. President Donald Trump and his ally, Elon Musk, have been pushing to cut the size of the federal government.
The Impact on the Ground
The funding freeze has stopped thousands of U.S.-funded programs abroad, and the administration is terminating contracts at a rapid pace, without time for meaningful review. Nonprofits owed money on contracts with USAID have described the terminations as a maneuver to get around complying with the order to lift the funding freeze temporarily.
The Supreme Court Intervenes
The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a court order requiring the administration to release billions of dollars in foreign aid by midnight. The court has given the administration until noon Friday to respond to the lawsuit filed by nonprofit groups and businesses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why is the Trump administration cutting foreign aid?
A: The administration claims that USAID projects advance a liberal agenda and are a waste of money.
Q: What is the scale of the cuts?
A: The administration plans to eliminate over 90% of USAID foreign aid contracts and $60 billion in overall U.S. assistance worldwide.
Q: What is the impact on the ground?
A: The funding freeze has stopped thousands of U.S.-funded programs abroad, and the administration is terminating contracts at a rapid pace, without time for meaningful review.
Q: What is the next step?
A: The Supreme Court will review the case, and the administration has until noon Friday to respond to the lawsuit filed by nonprofit groups and businesses.
