A flurry of new directives from the new US administration halting virtually all foreign aid spending has left government agencies and partner organizations shocked and millions of people around the world more vulnerable. It’s a staggering move from the world’s largest funder of humanitarian aid globally. 

First, President Trump issued an executive order freezing any new US spending on international assistance. Days later, the State Department expanded on that directive with a full stop-work order sent via an internal memo, immediately ceasing work on existing grants and contracts that supply critical aid abroad. 

Hitting pause on US foreign assistance — even briefly — will not only have longstanding consequences for the millions of people who depend on its support, but it will also jeopardize global health efforts, fuel regional instability, and diminish America’s leadership on the world stage.

There’s a lot that remains unclear, but here’s what we know so far. 

What’s Happening? 

The stop-work order put into immediate effect a three-month-long freeze on all US foreign aid (with these exceptions: military aid to Israel and Egypt, emergency food assistance, and travel for government employees to return to their duty stations). The State Department has begun accepting applications for temporary waivers, but has given no timeline for when these might be granted. Lifesaving HIV treatment programs are one area that has received a waiver thus far. 

The freeze is meant to give agencies and departments time to collate all federally funded programs into a “centralized repository” for new Secretary of State Marco Rubio to evaluate against the administration’s “America First” foreign policy agenda on a case-by-case basis. Rubio stated that every dollar will have to be justified by answering, “Does it make America safer? Does it make America stronger? Does it make America more prosperous?”

The stop-work order’s swift execution has sparked chaos, leading aid sector leaders to express confusion over why halting all programs before a review is necessary, as well as frustration over the sudden switch-up that affects millions of lives. Critical programs are impacted across numerous sectors, including global health, energy security, children's education overseas, humanitarian aid, and support for refugees. It also leaves civilian assistance for US military allies including Jordan, Taiwan, and Ukraine in limbo. 

Though it represents less than 1% of federal spending, the US is nonetheless the world’s largest humanitarian donor, providing 4 out of every 10 dollars. This money is vital for global security and prosperity. For example, in global health alone, US investments fuel breakthrough research that generate billions in domestic and global economic benefits.  

Can the US Administration Legally Do This?

To put it plainly, a blanket freeze on federal funds, including foreign aid, grants, and loans, directly challenges Congress’ Constitutionally given “power of the purse.” In plain English, this means that Congress is supposed to decide where and how to allocate US federal funding, while the executive branch is meant to disburse the funds.

In practice of course, presidents and Congresses almost always butt heads over budgets. Presidents can certainly make requests for extra spending money in crises or emergencies, and push back on Congress’ budget as long as they follow certain legal guidelines. For instance, the president must send Congress a “special message” outlining exactly what they seek to defer, for how long, why, and its expected impact. The US administration failed to do this, calling into question the constitutional legality of its unilateral freezes over funding that Congress has already approved. How lawmakers react to the administration’s orders will therefore test whether they’re able or willing to restrain the president’s actions.

What Are the Immediate Impacts?

A financing freeze will affect millions of people immediately. Many aid organizations, non-profits,  and agencies, already operating on razor-thin budgets, will be forced to lay off or furlough staff, crippling their ability to help those in need.

Freezing funding could: 

• Halt disease monitoring efforts, including the spread of bird flu across 49 countries (including in the US, where it’s already claimed a life);
• Pause counterterrorism efforts and training in Somalia; 
• Stall efforts to eradicate tuberculosis, malaria, polio, and tropical diseases such as elephantiasis; 
• Reduce training and resources for Mexican and Colombian anti-narcotics enforcement;
• Cut off the flow of medicines, low-cost vaccines, prenatal care, and essential healthcare for more than 90 million women and children worldwide.  

What Are the Long-term Impacts?

The freeze is consistent with Trump’s long-standing critiques of foreign aid. As Trump State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said in defense of the freeze, the US will no longer “blindly dole out money with no return for the American people.”

But humanitarian and development aid around the world is far more than a handout — they are proven long-term investments that create a safer world, stronger global ecosystems, and economic returns at home and abroad. By the standards outlined by Secretary Rubio — does it make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous? — foreign aid delivers. 

Global health funding, for instance, reduces the risk of future pandemics by combating infectious diseases before they spread and spiral out of control. It also reduces potential geopolitical instability by helping stabilize at-risk regions, making the US — and the entire world — safer. Aid isn’t just a humanitarian impulse — it’s a powerful, strategic tool to address root causes of unrest and conflict, preventing the rise of displacement, terrorism, violent extremism, and refugee crises that ripple out worldwide.   

There’s also a strong economic argument. Sending aid not only fosters goodwill abroad, but it introduces new trade opportunities and markets for US goods, services, and businesses. Cutting foreign aid to reduce the federal budget is an extreme example of shortsighted politics.

What You Can Do

Make no mistake — freezing US foreign aid halts essential, life-saving work. The consequences of this decision will not be felt in some far-off, distant future, but will be experienced immediately, especially by the world’s most vulnerable and at-risk people.

A world that suddenly finds itself without US aid isn’t just economically impacted — it’s also one that’s much less stable and less safe for everyone. Investments in public health, education, and development are a critical component of ending extreme poverty in our lifetimes. The actions by this administration dangerously risks setting that mission back. 

Now is the time to act. Advocacy, education, and pressure on our lawmakers can help ensure they step up to the task of defending these life-saving programs, because we know that the cost of inaction is far too high to pay. Take action now by urging key congressional leaders to reverse this order and protect these vital foreign aid programs — because the well-being of millions depend on it.