The Trump administration has dropped a bombshell on global aid efforts, terminating funding for life-saving programs from Sudan to South Africa. The decision, part of a sweeping review aligning US foreign aid with Trump’s “America First” agenda, has left the global humanitarian community scrambling.
Despite assurances from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that waivers were in place for critical services, a February 25 court document revealed that over 90% of programs—many initially protected—have now been axed. The fallout is massive, with UNAIDS, Stop TB Partnership, and numerous refugee assistance programs receiving termination notices.
“We are hit, but we will continue to be there,” said Lucica Ditiu, executive director of Stop TB, who now faces the grim task of ending contracts with 140 global partners.
The cuts are particularly devastating in South Africa, home to the world’s largest HIV-positive population. Health experts warn that years of progress could be undone overnight.
“We will see lives lost,” said Linda-Gail Bekker of the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation. “This epidemic is going to walk back as a result of this.”
While aid groups brace for impact, Washington remains silent. The US State Department has yet to respond to requests for comment. Meanwhile, the termination letters keep coming, citing a blunt rationale: the programs “are not in the national interest.”
For many organizations, USAID was their financial backbone. Now, as funding dries up, the world’s most vulnerable populations are left wondering—who will step in to save them?
