The Hill published on 23 April 2025 a commentary titled "USAID Went into the Woodchipper, And We're All Paying a Price" by Jim Kunder, deputy administrator of USAID during the George W. Bush administration.
Most of the allegations used to dismantle USAID have been proven false. The furor of the past several months over the destruction of USAID has crystalized awareness that America's foreign aid soft power is critical to national security.
The Washington Post published in its hard copy edition on 17 April 2025 an editorial titled "Save America's Great Link to Africa."
America's key trade agreement for Africa, the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), is due to expire in September this year unless Congress votes for another extension. The program's future is uncertain because the Trump administration prefers bilateral trade deals over multinational agreements such as AGOA. The editorial makes the case for renewing AGOA.
The Associated Press published on 15 April 2025 an article titled "DOGE Associate Is Made Acting Head of Foreign Assistance at the State Department, a US Official Says" by Ellen Knickmeyer and Matthew Lee.
The Office of Management and Budget is recommending major cuts in State Department funding that, if approved, would have the effect of gutting many of its functions. The proposal must still be vetted within the administration and then go to Congress for approval.
Reuters published on 8 April 2025 an article titled "Trump Administration Moves to Restore Some Terminated Foreign Aid Programs, Sources Say" by Jonathan Landay, Daphne Psaledakis, and Humeyra Pamuk.
The Trump administration reinstated at least 6 recently cancelled US foreign aid programs for emergency food assistance following pressure from inside the administration and from Congress. The reversal allows food aid programs to continue in Somalia, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, and Ecuador.
The China Global South Project published on 2 April 2025 a commentary titled "U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) on the Chopping Block: Can China Save It Again?" by Christian Geraud Neema Byamungu.
Some officials in the Trump administration do not believe Africa warrants a separate military command and want to put it back under the European Command. Others argue this will only create new openings for adversaries like Russia and China. The latter argument saved AFRICOM in the first Trump administration. Will it do so again?
Foreign Policy published on 31 March 2025 a commentary titled "Congress Has a Choice on Sudan" by Gregory W. Meeks, ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The Trump administration cancelled emergency aid for Sudan on 26 February. The author, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is calling on Congress to resume humanitarian aid to Sudan, among other steps for dealing with the catastrophe.
CNN posted on 28 March 2025 an article titled "State Department Formally Notifies Congress It Is Effectively Dissolving USAID" by Sean Lyngaas and Jennifer Hansler.
The State Department formally notified Congress on 28 March that it is effectively dissolving USAID and expects the transfer of any remaining functions to the State Department to be accomplished by 1 July. While court cases contesting the closure of USAID may go forward, the organization will disappear.
CBS News published on 30 March 2025 an article titled "Voice of America Journalists Speak Out after Trump Administration Shuts Down Network" by Bill Whitaker.
Thanks to the Trump administration, the Voice of America is silent for the first time since 1942. This article provides reaction from within the VOA.
Comment: This is one of the most significant self-inflicted foreign policy setbacks since the end of World War II.
The New York Times published on 29 March 2025 an article titled "Many at U.S. Institute of Peace Fired as Trump Seeks Nonprofit's End" by Aishvarya Kavi.
Elon Musk's DOGE fired on 28 March nearly all of the US Institute of Peace's (USIP) staff members in the United States. DOGE plans to "relocate" international staff by 9 April. USIP is effectively closed, although court cases will follow.
The Washington Post published on 29 March 2025 an article titled "DOGE Fires Nearly All Staff at U.S. Institute of Peace Headquarters" by Abigail Hauslohner and Derek Hawkins.
This account provides some additional detail on this development.
The Center for Global Development posted on 24 March 2025 a commentary titled "The USAID Shutdown: Where Next?" by Charles Kenny.
People have died because of the chaotic shutdown of US foreign assistance. USAID's financial system is largely non-operational. An estimated 800 of 4,500 USAID direct hire personnel were at work in mid-March and the Trump administration wants to reduce staffing to 300 or fewer employees. The author concludes "it is ridiculous to talk about a reform agenda when on the current trajectory there will be nothing left to reform."
This is a short clip from the 19 March 2025 Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC concerning the invasion and closure of the US Institute of Peace.
The US Institute of Peace is an independent, non-profit agency created by the US Congress to host programs and fund research designed to reduce conflict around the world. For whatever reason (or perhaps there is no reason), DOGE decided to forcibly shut it down.
Comment: I have attended many events over the past 25 years at USIP and never witnessed one that in any way could be considered contrary to the foreign policy interests of the administration occupying the White House at the time. One has to wonder what is going on in Washington.
The Hill published on 21 March 2025 an article titled "Internal USAID List Provides Snapshot of Trump Cuts" by Laura Kelly.
A 400-page list provided to Congress offers insights on the cuts the Trump administration is making to USAID. Ending some of these programs in the health sector will result in deaths overseas and endanger Americans in the United States while cuts in food programs will have a negative impact on American farmers who grow and supply the food for humanitarian programs. The goal of the Trump administration seems to be to destroy USAID.
Comment: The remnants of USAID will be transferred to the State Department. One important issue that is receiving little attention is the fact that the State Department is ill-equipped and understaffed to manage a variety of humanitarian programs.
The Wall Street Journal published on 19 March 2025 an article titled "Trump Officials Circulate Plan That Would Overhaul USAID" by Scott Peterson and Kristina Peterson.
The Trump administration is crafting plans to reorganize USAID according to a memo detailing the plans. USAID would be renamed the U.S. Agency for International Humanitarian Assistance and fall under the control of the State Department to enhance national security and counter adversaries like China. Many programs previously managed by USAID would be eliminated.
Comment: Whatever happens to USAID, much will be lost during the process of restructuring. Identifying persons to manage what is left will take time and the State Department will struggle with taking on these new responsibilities.
Time published on 14 February 2025 a commentary titled "Trump's Dismantling of USAID Is Anarchy Masquerading as Efficiency" by Brian Schatz, US Senator for Hawaii and the lead Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs.
The abrupt and total shutdown of USAID reveals a simple truth: The Department of Government Efficiency is not actually about achieving efficiency. Rather, it's about Trump trying to wish away whichever parts of the government he doesn't like.
US News & World Report published on 13 February 2025 an article titled "Warning of 'Tragedy,' Former Feds Plead with Congress to Scrap Trump's Foreign Aid Freeze" by Elliott Davis Jr.
More than 200, me included, former senior officials in the field of international affairs sent a letter to Congressional leaders on 12 February urging "recission of the Trump administration executive orders and directives aimed at freezing U.S. foreign assistance and dismantling USAID."
CNN posted on 5 February 2025 an article titled "Republican and Democratic Former USAID Leaders Speak Out against Trump's Attempts to Dismantle Agency" by Jennifer Hansler.
Five former leaders of the US Agency for International Development have spoken out against the Trump administration's attempts to dismantle the humanitarian agency and called on Congress "to swiftly protect the Agency's statutory role."
The five former administrators are Samantha Power (Biden administration), Gayle Smith (Obama administration), Andrew Natsios (George W. Bush administration), Brian Atwood (Clinton administration), and Peter McPherson (Reagan administration).
Comment: A notable absentee from this list is Mark Green, who served as USAID administrator during the first Trump administration.
The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) and the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) filed on 6 February a Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief against Donald Trump, the US Department of State, the United States Agency for International Development, the United States Treasury Department, Marco Rubio, and Scott Bessent.
The action seeks "injunctive relief with respect to a series of unconstitutional and illegal actions taken by President Donald Trump and his administration that have systematically dismantled the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)." The plaintiffs "seek a temporary restraining order directing Defendents to reverse these unlawful actions and to halt any further steps to dissolve the agency until the Court has an opportunity to more fully consider the issues on the merits."
Trump-appointed federal judge Carl Nichols of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia approved on 7 February a limited temporary restraining order that would block USAID employees from being put on administrative leave. Details on the pause will follow in a forthcoming filing.
Brookings published on 4 February 2025 a series of essays titled "Implications of a USAID Shutdown."
This is a series of short essays by a variety of experts on how the Trump administration's dismantling of USAID will impact US foreign policy. The introduction, written several days ago, suggests the administration may be walking back the dismantlement. More recent information suggests this is not the case. On the contrary, it appears to be stepping up the disintegration of the organization.
Politico published on 21 December 2021 an article titled "On the Horn of Africa, a Tiny 'Country' Has Congress' Ear" by Phelin Kine.
A delegation from Somaliland led by the foreign minister met last month with representatives on Capitol Hill and the executive branch. The delegation used its ties with Taiwan, pointing out that it counters China's influence in the Horn of Africa and deserves US help.
Foreign Policy published on 25 September 2020 an article titled "The White House Wants Peace with Sudan. Congress Wants Khartoum to Pay" by Cameron Hudson, Atlantic Council.
The article is a useful update on the state of play between domestic political calculations and current US-Sudan relations.
What the article fails to explain is that Sudan's removal from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, where it was rightfully placed in 1993, has no relationship to Sudan's recognition of Israel. According to the State Department's annual report on terrorism, Sudan has cooperated with the United States for years in efforts to combat terrorism. Removal from the state sponsors of terrorism list should be dealt with on its merits, not winning domestic political points.
