In brief
In a significant shakeup of foreign aid policy, Secretary of State Marco Rubio's memo reveals that the sweeping halt to U.S. foreign aid announced by the Trump administration will not affect military assistance to Israel and Egypt or emergency food aids. This revelation has raised concerns for numerous organizations that depend on U.S. support for various humanitarian initiatives. On the same day the memo was issued, President Biden’s administration allowed the Pentagon to resume shipments of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, halted the previous summer amid concerns over civilian casualties in Rafah.
The memo, designed for the State Department and associated agencies, requires personnel to stop new funding designations and issue stop-work orders to current recipients. With a 90-day reassessment period underway, this action has created uncertainty for aid groups globally who manage programs aimed at combating disease and addressing climate issues, sparking alarm in sectors reliant on American funding.
