President Trump on Monday signed an executive order suspending any new U.S. foreign development assistance for three months, and directed a review of foreign assistance programs to ensure they line up with his America First foreign policy.
The order pausing funding follows an executive order directing the State Department to implement an “America First foreign policy,” although the specifics of that policy are not defined.
Trump is directing department and agency heads with responsibility for U.S. foreign development assistance programs to immediately pause new obligations and disbursements of development assistance funds to foreign countries; non-governmental organizations, international organizations or contractors. More
USAID Acting Administrator Jason Gray communicates the following….
“•• Pursuant to Executive Order Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid, which President Trump signed on January 20, 2025, USAID will immediately pause all new program-funded commitments and new or incremental obligations. This directive encompasses every level of programming-including at the obligation (e.g., development objective agreement) and subobligation levels. Any pause on disbursements will be subject to further guidance. Any waivers to this pause must be authorized by both the Acting Administrator of USAID and the Director of Foreign Assistance at the U.S. Department of State, regardless of amount. At present, the only proposed waivers that should be presented are for emergency humanitarian assistance.”