Summary

The Trump administration has upended USAID by abruptly freezing foreign aid spending and placing senior career officials on administrative leave, halting crucial disbursements.

The administration has implemented a 90-day freeze affecting life-saving programs such as PEPFAR and malaria initiatives, severely disrupting vital operations and international health efforts.

The administration’s impoundment strategy, widely rejected by courts, seeks to reclassify civil servants and contractors, undermining accountability and jeopardizing essential aid operations.

Critics warn that these moves create a climate of intimidation, endangering effective foreign aid delivery and weakening critical diplomatic and humanitarian efforts.