In an unprecedented move that stunned diplomats, Trump's Secretary of State Marco Rubio, announced Friday the immediate halt of nearly all foreign aid spending for 90 days, sparing only Israel.
The directive requires all U.S. diplomatic and consular staff to issue "stop-work orders" on existing foreign assistance programs. This action targets previously approved grants, including military aid, and is causing widespread confusion within the State Department.
"State just totally went nuclear on foreign assistance," one State Department official told Politico.
The guidance extends beyond President Donald Trump's earlier executive order, which called for a 90-day pause on foreign aid grants.
While Trump's directive left ambiguity about its scope, Rubio's memo explicitly halts disbursements, including funds for key allies such as Ukraine, Jordan, and Taiwan, per Politico. However, the document specifies that military financing for Israel and Egypt, along with emergency food aid and other "legitimate expenses incurred prior to the date of this guidance," will continue.
The special carve-out for Israel, a long-standing U.S. ally, has drawn scrutiny. The guidance allows some flexibility and states that decisions must align with "terms of the relevant award." Yet, this clause may open the U.S. government to potential lawsuits over breached contracts, according to both current and former State Department officials.
As the largest provider of foreign aid worldwide, the United States allocated roughly $60 billion to assistance programs in 2023. That's about 1% of the federal budget. However, the Trump administration's order has left critical global health initiatives in limbo, and humanitarian organizations are not happy.
Programs providing life-saving services, such as immunizations and community health clinics, were not explicitly exempted. The freeze also appears to affect PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Relief Plan for AIDS Relief. Established under President George W. Bush, the program has reportedly saved 25 million lives, including 5.5 million children, since its inception.
This decision could have "life or death consequences," said Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America, per The Associated Press, "By suspending foreign development assistance, the Trump administration is threatening the lives and futures of communities in crisis, and abandoning the United States' long-held bipartisan approach to foreign assistance."
Rubio's directive mandates a comprehensive review of foreign aid programs within 85 days, followed by recommendations on which initiatives to reinstate or terminate. This move aligns with long-standing Republican criticisms of what they term wasteful foreign aid under previous administrations.
