In a bold move to enforce his “America First” policy, President Donald Trump has frozen foreign aid programs and taken action against federal employees who sought to bypass his executive orders.
On Monday, dozens of officials at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) were placed on administrative leave as part of the broader effort to review and align foreign aid with Trump’s priorities.
A source told The Wall Street Journal that 57 officials were affected, following an internal email from acting administrator Jason Gray.
“We have identified several actions within USAID that appear to be designed to circumvent the President’s Executive Orders and the mandate from the American people,” Gray said in the email, which was obtained by The Washington Post, per the Daily Mail.
The actions come after Trump’s executive order on Jan. 24, which halted all foreign assistance until a high-level review is completed. The only exceptions are assistance to Israel, Egypt and emergency food aid.
The 90-day freeze is designed to ensure that foreign aid aligns with Trump’s “America First” agenda. Officials have warned that any staff who ignore the orders could face disciplinary action.
This directive is part of a broader strategy to ensure taxpayer dollars are not spent on what the administration considers “woke” programs. Under Trump’s new plan, domestic funding for education, health care, housing assistance, disaster relief and other areas will be temporarily frozen until compliance with his executive orders is verified, as TTOA reported earlier.
In addition, Trump has placed those in opposition to his policies on administrative leave as part of a larger effort to purge government agencies of individuals he deems unsupportive of his agenda.
The president’s decision to place USAID staff on leave is in line with his broader push to remove career bureaucrats from government positions. Over the weekend, he also fired inspectors general from more than a dozen federal agencies.
Trump’s Jan. 24 executive order, which terminated all federal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, resulted in the sidelining of 395 government workers.
Trump has long criticized what he perceives as a “deep state” within the federal government, blaming it for obstructing his policies during his first administration. Now, in his first full week back in office, he is actively taking steps to purge the government of those who oppose his agenda.
The U.S. spends approximately $60 billion annually on foreign aid, making it the largest provider of humanitarian assistance globally. However, Trump’s halt on foreign aid has had far-reaching consequences.
The freeze has affected various programs, from childhood vaccine initiatives to counter-terrorism training and halted military assistance to countries like Ukraine, Jordan and Taiwan. Programs designed to combat HIV, credited with saving 25 million lives and aid for famine-stricken countries like Sudan, have also been impacted.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a “stop-work” order on Saturday, halting the use of American funding by non-government organizations and charity groups until the programs can be reviewed. Humanitarian groups have appealed to the State Department for waivers, citing the critical nature of the funding.
However, the State Department has made it clear that any waivers must be thoroughly justified, demonstrating that the assistance is necessary for lifesaving purposes or poses significant national security risks.
All foreign assistance programs will undergo a comprehensive review during this pause, with the administration emphasizing that no program will be exempt from scrutiny.
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