Washington – The aid programs financed by the United States worldwide were shooting the staff and closed or prepared to stop operations, such as the The unprecedented freezing of the Trump administration In almost all foreign assistance he suddenly put his work.
Secretary of State Marco Rubiothat initially exempting only emergency food programs and military aid to Israel and Egypt of the help pause, agreed on Tuesday to keep at least temporarily spend money on humanitarian programs that provide medicines, medical services, food, refuge and assistance of subsistence temporarily. to a copy of an exemption signed by Associated Press. While some in the help community expressed the move of Hope Rubio would rescue more from the programs that keep the refugees live, the seriously ill and others worldwide, the operations of all kinds financed by the United States increased the rhythm of layoffs , licenses and programs closures.
President Donald Trump ordered the freezing of 90 days last week to give time to the administration to review which of the thousands of humanitarian, development and security programs will maintain Get money from the USA.
Trump too They panel subsidies and federal loans Within the United States, but a judge temporarily blocked that effort on Tuesday.
Here is a look at the freezing of foreign funds and how it had begun to reach programs around the world:
The United States is the largest source of foreign assistance in the world, although other countries offer a greater proportion of their budgets. Provides $ 4 of 10 dollars donated for humanitarian aid.
“The help community is dealing with how existential this suspension of help,” said Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America, one of the few help officials willing to speak publicly about the impact of freezing after the administration’s warnings Trump do not do it.
The Trump administration placed more than 50 senior officials with the United States Agency for License International Development on Monday, since many helped organizations to deal with freezing. USAID’s interim boss said he was investigating whether officials They resisted Trump’s orders.
The United States policy for decades has been that the help given abroad pays itself through greater national security, stabilizing regions and economies and improving relations with the partners.
But many officials of the Trump administration and Republican legislators believe that much foreign assistance is the money that must be spent or saved at home.
For each program, “we will expect the State Department to defend, to regret it or, in some cases, define the continuation of its programs,” said representative Brian Mast, Republican President of the Chamber’s Foreign Affairs Committee.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that the freezing of the United States does not affect vital US support to his army while fighting Russian forces. That is mainly true.
The only military aid for which the State Department is responsible and, therefore, is covered by Pause is foreign military financing and international military education and training. There are other baskets for UN peace -maintenance operations and decrease programs.
Most of Ukraine military aid, however, comes from the Pentagon. That includes an existing weapons stock program and another so -called Ukraine security assistance initiative, which is used to pay weapons contracts that would not be delivered for a year or more.
None of the defense department programs are directly affected by freezing, although US officials say there is nothing in the pipe either.
But vital civil programs for the war effort of Ukraine come from the State Department. There is no word of exemptions for them. That includes the salary support that the United States provides to maintain the Ukrainian government in operation despite the War damage to the economy.
That support is important, said Bradley Bowman, of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. “But I think that if our European allies are reading the political moment in the United States, it is better to move, I say quickly, to try to collect the majority or all that burden.”
The United States has sent stop orders to civil war programs that supports Ukraine.
That includes Veteran Hub, a non -profit organization that directs a direct crisis line that receives up to 1,300 calls per month of Ukrainian veterans who need social and psychological support.
Obtaining the stop order this weekend, Ivona Kostyna, the leader of the non -profit organization, realized that he could soon lose half of his trained staff of 31.
“If we had a month, say, warning, even a two -week warning, it would have been much easier for us,” he said. “We could have managed to ensure somehow for this time. But there was simply any warning.”
Days before the United States freezes, Veteran Hub received a call from someone to the edge of hurting, Kostyna said. An employee of the direct line sent a text message to the person during the night.
“And now what we have is a line that does not work and basically there is no answer, which is scary for us,” he said.
In La Nación del Sur de Africa de Zimbabwe, Gumisayi Bonzo, director of a non -profit health organization, concerned about his organization, and by itself.
Zimbabwe is one of the few African countries to achieve a milestone in the diagnosis of HIV/AIDS, the treatment and suppression of the viral load. That is thanks in large part to an innovative HIV program created by Republican President George W. Bush, accredited by saving more than 20 million lives.
THE PROGRAM – THE President’s emergency plan for AIDS reliefOr Pepfar, has been the target of Republican intransigents. Bonzo had not yet heard the news of a financing limit for his group, Trans Smart Trust, which promotes health services for bisexual and transgender people in a country where discrimination and stigma discourage many to seek treatment.
“Everyone is confused at this time,” said Bonzo.
The 54 -year -old has been receiving HIV treatment for 23 years thanks to Pepfar’s support that caused the medications to be affordable.
“I have been taking religious medications for more than two decades, I am living a normal life again, and suddenly we have to stop,” he said. “That is a death sentence for many people.”
Rubio’s exemption does not cover programs that deal with abortion, family planning, conferences or anything related to diversity, equity and inclusion or gender reallocation.
Gyude Moore, former cabinet minister in Liberia, who is now a member of the US global development center. UU., He said that the freezing of the United States would damage lives in Africa.
The support of the United States helped Western Africa to recover from years of vicious wars. Usaid’s money helped pay school lunches, supported girls education, strengthened health systems and help small farmers.
Moore, as many colleagues did, described the sudden “cruel” cut.
“There is no maneuvering room,” he said.
Leaving this assistance harms the United States, because “is not distinguished between ally, couple and adversary,” he added.
And the rival of the United States China will be happy to move to areas of Africa to develop its influence and commercial contracts in countries rich in resources, according to Moore and other analysts.
“Feeding hungry children in Liberia or malnourished children in Kenya, providing antiretroviral drugs that save life in Uganda, none of these things undermines US interests,” said Moore.
The United States has also tried raise your profile in the South Pacific To counteract the influence of China, even when reinforcing the expenditure of Usaid to nations that depend on the finance of development.
During visits to the Pacific in 2024, the authorities announced more than $ 15 million in new expenses, to boost natural disasters resilience, support economic growth, help countries with resist the ruinous effects of climate change and more.
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Mutsaka reported from Harare, Zimbabwe. The AP Charlotte Graham-Mclay reporters in Wellington, New Zealand and Tara Copp in Washington contributed.
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