US shutdown on foreign aid is hitting worldwide. Rubio adds more exemptions

WASHINGTON (AP) — United States-funded aid programmes around the world were firing staff and shutting down or preparing to stop operations, as the Trump administration’s unprecedented freeze on almost all foreign assistance brought their work to a sudden halt.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who initially exempted only emergency food programmes and military aid to Israel and Egypt from the aid pause, agreed Tuesday to at least temporarily keep spending money on humanitarian programmes that provide life-saving medicine, medical services, food, shelter and subsistence assistance, according to a copy of a signed waiver obtained by The Associated Press. While some in the aid community expressed hope Rubio’s move would rescue more of the programmes that keep alive refugees, the gravely ill and others around the world, US-funded operations of all kinds stepped up the pace of layoffs, furloughs and programme shutdowns.

President Donald Trump ordered the 90-day freeze last week to give the administration time to review which of the thousands of humanitarian, development and security programmes will keep getting money from the US.

Trump also paused federal grants and loans inside the United States, but a judge temporarily blocked that effort Tuesday.

The United States is the world’s largest source of foreign assistance by far, although other countries give a bigger share of their budgets. It provides 4 out of every 10 dollars donated for humanitarian aid.

“The aid community is grappling with just how existential this aid suspension is,” said Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America, one of the few aid officials willing to speak publicly about the impact of the freeze following Trump administration warnings not to.

The Trump administration placed more than 50 senior officials with the US Agency for International Development on leave Monday as many were helping organizations deal with the freeze. USAID’s acting head said he was investigating whether the officials were resisting Trump’s orders.

US policy for decades has been that aid given abroad pays for itself through greater national security, by stabilizing regions and economies and improving relations with partners.

But many Trump administration officials and Republican lawmakers believe much foreign assistance is money that should be spent or saved at home.

For every programme, “we’ll expect the State Department to defend, repent, or in some cases, make the case for continuation of their programmes,” said Representative Brian Mast, Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

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