In line with its “America First” policy, the newly sworn-in Donald Trump administration has ordered a freeze on all foreign aid, with exceptions for Israel and Egypt. The freeze includes development and military assistance, with an internal review of all foreign aid commitments underway.
BulletsIn
- Foreign aid freeze impacts all countries except Israel and Egypt.
- Emergency food assistance and administrative expenses allowed on a case-by-case basis.
- Israel exempted due to its long-standing defense ties, bolstered further after the Gaza war.
- Egypt excluded due to historic defense funding linked to its 1979 peace treaty with Israel.
- Aid to Ukraine, which received billions for its defense under Biden, paused indefinitely.
- PEPFAR, the US’s flagship anti-HIV/AIDS initiative, also impacted; pause expected for months.
- Memo mandates an 85-day review of all foreign assistance for effectiveness and duplication.
- US remains top global donor in dollar terms, with $64 billion given in 2023 per OECD data.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated the freeze aligns aid with Trump’s foreign policy priorities.
- European nations donate more as a percentage of GDP but less in absolute dollar terms than the US.



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