n the last few days, the media has reported the chaos—unprecedented actions without regard for the individual, national, and international consequences—resulting from the Trump administration’s preemptive actions on foreign assistance, causing serious damage at both the human level and the U.S. reputation as a reliable ally.
On day one, the administration precipitously suspended new obligations and disbursement of foreign assistance. A few days later it summarily dismissed the senior career leadership and then thousands of mid-level staff from USAID, essentially preventing the agency from carrying out its legislative mandated responsibilities. These decisions impact the livelihoods of thousands of Americans who manage our critical foreign assistance programs and tens of thousands of citizens in developing countries who either implement or are the beneficiaries of U.S. assistance—in many situations, depriving individuals of lifesaving medical care. MORE