Trump’s Foreign Aid Freeze Disrupts Global Health and Development Programs

A 90-day suspension on U.S. foreign assistance halts critical initiatives, raising fears of widespread humanitarian crises.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order pausing nearly all U.S. foreign aid for 90 days to review program alignment with his administration’s policies.
The freeze has halted key health initiatives, including PEPFAR, a program credited with saving 25 million lives through HIV/AIDS treatment in Africa.
Confusion and chaos have arisen as aid organizations scramble to understand exemptions, with lifesaving services like antiretroviral therapy temporarily suspended in some clinics.
Critics warn the abrupt freeze risks lives, with health systems, education, and economic development programs in vulnerable regions severely impacted.
The State Department has issued partial exemptions for humanitarian aid, but the lack of clarity has left many programs and workers in limbo.