Donald Trump's administration halts all international aid from the US, with Israel being the only exception

 

Donald Trump's administration halts all international aid from the US, with Israel being the only exception.

According to an AFP news report, the United States, which is the largest contributor globally, has not put a stop to emergency food and military support for Israel and Egypt. In a comprehensive action, the newly inaugurated Trump administration announced on Friday that it has frozen all foreign assistance, including aid to Ukraine, with only Israel and Egypt being exempt from this freeze.

As noted in the report, the US, recognized as the largest donor, continues to provide emergency food and military resources to Israel and Egypt.

In an internal communication referenced in the report, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated, "No new funds should be committed for new grants or the extension of current ones until all proposed new allocations or extensions have been reviewed and authorized." This decision aligns with President Trump’s promise of an "America First" approach that emphasizes strict limitations on international aid.

The directive is anticipated to influence various forms of support, from development funding to military assistance, affecting Ukraine especially, which received billions in weaponry during the tenure of Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, to aid in its struggle against the Russian invasion. 

The AFP article also indicated that this order could lead to a halt in US funding for PEPFAR, a program aimed at combating HIV/AIDS that provides antiretroviral medications in developing nations, primarily in Africa, and which has been paused for at least several months. 

Initiated by President George W. Bush in 2003, PEPFAR is credited with saving roughly 26 million lives and had previously garnered widespread bipartisan backing in Washington until recently.