Trump affirms foreign assistance freeze

2025-01-27 06:45:18

(MENAFN) US President Donald trump has confirmed the suspension of foreign aid programs, as part of a broader effort to refocus on domestic priorities. Speaking to supporters in Las Vegas on Saturday, Trump outlined his actions, which include a federal hiring freeze, a regulation freeze, and a halt to foreign aid for 90 days to review alignment with his "America First" policies.

On Monday, shortly after taking office, Trump signed an executive order halting all foreign development assistance programs for the next three months. The suspension includes most aid, with exceptions for military assistance to Israel and Egypt.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio also issued a memo on Saturday halting the distribution of funds through the State Department and USAID, except for the mentioned exceptions. Rubio emphasized that any spending must be justified by whether it makes America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.

While the Pentagon has stated that military aid to Ukraine would not be affected, Rubio’s memo did not explicitly mention exemptions for military support to other key partners, such as Taiwan and NATO countries. Trump has criticized previous administrations for providing large amounts of aid to Ukraine, instead pushing for a diplomatic resolution to the ongoing conflict with Russia.

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