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Trump Administration Cuts Final USAID Contracts, Halting Life-Saving Aid

New terminations of humanitarian programs in conflict zones risk escalating crises, despite prior assurances from U.S. officials.

President Donald Trump arrives at the White House on Marine One, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
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An Afghan woman receives food items for her children at a World Food Program (WFP) distribution centre in Kabul, Afghanistan, August 21, 2024. REUTERS/Sayed Hassib/File Photo
Workers ferry food assistance for beneficiaries of the World Food Program at a distribution center, amid exacerbating food shortages, in Sanaa, Yemen July 18, 2023. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah/File photo

Overview

  • The Trump administration has terminated key USAID contracts, ending emergency food, water, and medical aid programs in Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, and other conflict-affected regions.
  • The cuts target the last remaining U.S.-funded humanitarian programs, including those previously exempted from budget reductions by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
  • Jeremy Lewin, a senior official in Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, directed the cancellations as part of broader efforts to dismantle USAID.
  • The World Food Program and other organizations warn the terminations could lead to widespread starvation and exacerbate existing humanitarian crises, affecting millions of vulnerable people.
  • The abrupt decision undermines prior commitments and has drawn criticism for its potential to destabilize regions and fuel extremism.