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4w ago

Trump Administration Reinstates Some USAID Aid Cuts After Backlash

Recent terminations of life-saving foreign aid programs are partially reversed following internal and external pressure, but concerns of a humanitarian crisis remain.

Afghan refugees take rest at a transit station setup to facilitate Afghan refugees' deportations, outskirt of Chaman, a town on the Pakistan and Afghanistan border, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo)
Image
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
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaks during the International Women of Courage award ceremony, Tuesday April 1, 2025, at the State Department in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Overview

  • The Trump administration has reinstated at least six recently canceled USAID contracts, including World Food Programme projects in Lebanon, Syria, and Somalia.
  • The initial terminations affected critical food, water, and medical aid in 14 countries, with the World Food Programme warning of catastrophic outcomes for millions facing starvation.
  • State Department officials admitted that some aid cuts were made in error and have since been rolled back, though many terminations remain in effect.
  • The cuts were directed by Jeremy Lewin, a key figure in Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, as part of a broader effort to dismantle USAID.
  • NGOs and former USAID staff are mobilizing alternative funding and partnerships to address gaps left by the aid terminations, but significant challenges persist.