Beijing has its own foreign aid initiative, called the "Belt and Road Initiative," which operates in several countries where Washington is also seeking to establish collaborations. Critics argue that these programs are costly and promote a liberal agenda. On January 20, on his first day in office, Trump implemented a 90-day freeze on foreign aid. Even Democrats are affected by this measure. "It's too big and too dirty," Trump expressed in a message written in capital letters and filled with exclamation marks.
The USAID offices in Washington were closed and its activities suspended after Elon Musk, in charge of reforming the state, announced that Trump had agreed to dismantle it. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was appointed to temporarily lead the agency, with the announcement made from El Salvador. USAID leads the international and humanitarian cooperation of the U.S. government, although it has been criticized at times for funding projects aimed at destabilizing governments.
USAID is an independent government agency founded in 1963, with about 10,000 employees and a budget of $50 billion in 2023. It was created by Kennedy during the Cold War, aiming to counter Soviet influence abroad more efficiently than through the State Department. Over the years, USAID has faced criticisms and controversies but has survived the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Donald Trump accused media outlets of receiving part of the funds allegedly stolen from USAID, claiming that some news outlets might be acting in favor of the Democrats. The confusion regarding which programs are exempt from Trump's orders to suspend their operations continues to hinder aid and development work worldwide.
Supporters of USAID argue that U.S. foreign assistance is crucial to countering the influence of countries such as Russia and China. In response to Trump's freeze, officials and figures like Marco Rubio have worked to keep emergency programs operational and save lives despite the imposed restrictions.
