The US orders the suspension of international aid

The U.S. State Department, on January 24, ordered the freezing of new funding for nearly all American international aid programs as part of President Donald Trump’s effort to align these programs with his foreign policy goals. These programs are primarily implemented through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). USAID has invested over $1 billion in Kosovo’s development since 1999.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent a message to U.S. embassies worldwide, explaining the implementation of an executive order signed by Trump on January 20, which stated that “no further U.S. international aid shall be distributed in a manner that is not fully consistent with the foreign policy of the President of the United States.”

According to the executive order, current U.S. aid is “not aligned with American interests and, in many cases, contradicts American values.” It added that aid programs “serve to destabilize global peace” by promoting ideas that conflict with stable relationships within the countries they serve and between those countries and others.

The executive order calls for a 90-day suspension of U.S. international development aid to evaluate its effectiveness and “compliance with the foreign policy of the United States.” This order affects new fund distributions for foreign countries, NGOs, international organizations, and contractors until the program reviews are completed.

Trump and other Republicans had vowed to take action against U.S. international aid programs, and Rubio’s memo justified the freeze by stating that the new administration could not evaluate whether existing international aid commitments were “not redundant, effective, and in line with President Trump’s foreign policy.”

The new chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Representative Brian Mast (a Republican from Florida), pledged this week that Republicans would review “every dollar and every diplomat” in the State Department’s budget to ensure it met their standards for strict necessity.

Mast said in a statement following Rubio’s confirmation as Secretary of State that he intends to work with Rubio to “eliminate” waste in the State Department.

The ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee reacted to this decision, stating that it “undermines American leadership and credibility” worldwide. “U.S. international aid programs promote stability in other countries to help stop crises that could directly spread to our doorstep,” said Representative Gregory Meeks (a Democrat from New York) in a letter addressed to Rubio.

“International aid is not a handout; it is a strategic investment in our future that is vital to U.S. global leadership and a more stable world,” he said.

According to him, U.S. international aid directly serves U.S. interests and demonstrates the country’s credibility to allies, partners, and vulnerable people who rely on U.S. aid for survival. By suspending current programs and blocking new ones, the United States will “leave this space” to its adversaries, the letter stated, which was also signed by Representative Lois Frankel (a Democrat from Florida), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on National Security, the State Department, and Related Programs for Budgeting.

“For years, Republicans in Congress have criticized what they see as a lack of U.S. credibility concerning countries like China, Russia, and Iran. Now our credibility is at risk, and it appears we are withdrawing from American commitments to our partners worldwide,” Meeks and Frankel said.

In October last year, USAID marked the 25th anniversary of its establishment in Kosovo, where it has implemented programs to fight corruption, strengthen the rule of law and good governance, combat disinformation, advocate for independent media, strengthen civil society and democracy, drive economic development, and attract foreign investments.

Currently, USAID in Kosovo is funding numerous activities. Among them are: In August 2024, Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani signed a grant with USAID, providing additional assistance to Kosovo’s institutions worth $34.5 million. The grant was part of a previously reached agreement valued at approximately $146 million, aimed at providing better services to citizens, increasing institutional accountability, and more efficient management.

Kreshnik Shehu, a wood processor in Kosovo, says U.S. aid has played an important role in boosting exports of this material. Shehu’s company, like the wood sector in general in Kosovo, has benefited from USAID funding (the U.S. Agency for International Development).

“In 2014, exports in our sector were 2.5 million euros,” Shehu told Radio Free Europe. “Today, they exceed 150 million euros. This shows that over the past ten years, USAID’s contribution has been very significant. It has been a decisive factor in the growth of this sector,” Shehu adds. “If that aid didn’t exist, we would have lagged many years behind,” says Shehu, whose company is based in the city of Drenas.

“We still need it because we have not yet grown enough to cope with the incredible competition in the international market,” he says.

Rubio’s order exempts emergency food programs, such as those helping feed millions of people in Sudan. Trump’s executive order does not mention military aid, but Rubio’s message specifies that military aid for Israel and Egypt is exempt.

There is no indication of a similar exemption for U.S. military aid to Ukraine; however, the Biden administration expedited the distribution of already approved aid to Ukraine before leaving office, fearing Trump would cut it off. There are still around $3.85 billion in funds authorized by Congress for future arms shipments to Ukraine, and it is up to Trump whether he will spend them or not.

The United States is the world’s largest donor, providing tens of billions of dollars annually.

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