The Trump Administration closes USAID offices
On 24 January, NGOs working with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) received an email asking them to stop all activities funded by the US humanitarian aid agency. A week later, they were allowed to resume some vital humanitarian assistance tasks, such as providing essential medicines, medical services, shelter, emergency water, sanitation and hygiene.
However, the announcement of the resumption of activity was ambiguous and caused confusion among organisations, as US President Donald Trump had ordered a reduction in USAID funding. In fact, on 6 February it was revealed that the US government was considering reducing its workforce from 10,000 employees to approximately 300.
USAID is an independent federal agency responsible for planning and administering economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide. However, on his first day in the White House, Trump ordered a 90-day freeze on almost all foreign aid. In addition, Secretary of State Marco Rubio commented on several occasions that USAID often acted against US interests.
Finally, on 10 February, USAID's website was shut down, as were its offices. Even the signs put up by citizens in front of the organisation were removed.
Conversations before the closure
President Donald Trump has declared that USAID is a waste of money and believes the agency is run by ‘lunatics’. However, experts warn that the closure ordered by the new US administration could benefit the country that Trump sees as a threat: China.
Agency staff were informed on 10 February, via email, that the organisation's headquarters would be closed and that they should work from home. An email was sent following statements by Elon Musk in which he explained that he had agreed with Trump to close the agency.
In a live broadcast via XSpaces on the morning of 10 February, Elon Musk stated: ‘Regarding the USAID issue, I discussed it with him [Donald Trump] in detail and he agreed that we should close it down’. Subsequently, on the social network X, the owner of SpaceX continued with his statements about the closure, mentioning that it was already underway.
It should be remembered that Donald Trump has entrusted Elon Musk with the management of the Department of Government Efficiency, which is dedicated to exploring which government departments can be cut back on.
The closure of this agency leaves billions of dollars in aid in limbo and will have immediate consequences such as putting an end to global life-saving health programmes, early warning systems and food security campaigns. In addition, New Jersey Democratic Senator Andy Kim, who worked for USAID while studying, said that ‘Trump's actions weaken US global leadership and influence at a time when we face serious threats to national security.’
Consequences of the closure
The US agency has a budget of 42.8 billion dollars, which represents 42% of humanitarian aid worldwide. The freezing of this flow of financial resources will have repercussions in different countries.
One of these is Mozambique, where combatants loyal to the Islamic State are deployed. There, Trump's idea, according to Kevin Goldberg, director of Solidaridad Internacional, caused a suspension of agricultural recovery operations that were intended to rescue millions of people who had been displaced by the humanitarian crisis caused by the fighting.
Solidaridad Internacional is a French non-governmental organisation that provides aid to some five million people every year and relies on 36% of its funding from USAID. The closure of the US agency will prevent it from guaranteeing humanitarian assistance to some two million people.
On the other hand, aid has also been paused in Yemen, where the distribution of cash provided by Solidaridad Internacional was fundamental in stimulating the local economy in conflict zones. Syria has been affected, as the NGO can no longer restore the necessary water and sanitation system, as US aid has been frozen.
Likewise, in the Philippines, where US aid was approximately $190 million in 2023, the end of USAID's collaboration with Solidaridad Internacional jeopardises the situation due to the shortage of tuberculosis vaccines and resources for victims of violence.
Freezing of funding
Many people make no secret of their fear that the Trump Administration's approach will mainly affect gender and sexual issues. This is the case of the British NGO MSI Reproductive Choices, which is responsible for the field of contraception and abortion. This organisation receives at least 10% of its funding from the US, and this aid could be cut off.
Until now, USAID operated in 36 countries. The employees feel lost, as it is not known what will happen. Carlyle Tyer, professor emeritus at the University of New South Wales, believes that so-called ‘soft power’ (a term used in international relations to describe the capacity of a state to influence the actions or interests of other actors using cultural and ideological means, with the complement of diplomatic means) is the advantage of the United States and pointed out that abandoning it by stopping USAID assistance serves Chinese interests.
On this last point, several analysts have mentioned that the closure of the US agency is a ‘real sweetener’ for China and although Trump has emphasised that his main objective is to stop the advance of Chinese influence in Latin America, his decision, according to Renata Segura, Crisis Group's director for Latin America and the Caribbean, could lead Latin American governments to seek such aid in China or other countries.