The United States, a key player in global humanitarian aid, allocates approximately $8.2 billion annually towards foreign humanitarian efforts, representing about 1% of its total spending. However, a recent pause in foreign aid funding under the Trump administration has triggered significant delays in these crucial programs. These delays are acutely felt in life-saving initiatives such as food assistance. The suspension has not only disrupted aid distribution but also raised concerns about the firing of inspectors general, who are legally required to receive a 30-day notice and detailed reasons for their dismissal.
The inspector general responsible for overseeing these reports was dismissed the day after releasing a critical report by the Trump administration. Since taking office, Trump has terminated 17 other inspectors general, raising alarm among international health organizations and legal scholars. The USAid inspector general's office identified more than $489 million in food aid at risk of spoiling as it idles at ports and warehouses worldwide.
The Guttmacher Institute has estimated that due to the halt in foreign aid, 130,390 women each day will be denied access to modern contraceptives. Although programs are set to resume after a 90-day pause, the number of women denied access will have soared to 11.7 million. The United States provides $607.5 million annually in foreign aid for family planning, funding that experts estimate would have provided modern contraceptives to 47 million women and girls.
“Women and girls walked up one morning and there was no care.”
- Elisha Dunn-Georgiou
International health organizations have raised alarms, stating that efforts to dismantle US foreign aid and bar diversity, equity, and inclusion are severely damaging programs that once delivered healthcare to millions worldwide. Women who had scheduled appointments found clinics shuttered without warning, creating a climate of distrust. According to Elisha Dunn-Georgiou, President and CEO of the Global Health Council, this sudden cessation leaves many without essential care.
“You can’t get treatment, you can’t get care, because America has decided on a whim that you’re not worthy. That’s unfathomable.”
- Elisha Dunn-Georgiou
Healthcare providers note that the Department of State’s 90-day stop-work order to review contracts under the new administration's directives will likely prevent many clinics—already operating on minimal budgets—from ever reopening. Dr. Carole Sekimpi, a senior director for Africa with MSI Reproductive Choices in Uganda, emphasized the devastating impact on reproductive health services.
“The whole ecosystem is crumbling.”
- Dr Carole Sekimpi
The legal implications of the pause in funding and executive orders are now part of ongoing court cases seeking to challenge these actions. Legal scholars describe this situation as a "constitutional crisis," questioning the administration's power over budgetary allocations.
“We have got to do everything we can to get this foreign aid freeze declared unconstitutional, to get everything we can salvage from USAid re-employed, to get a major campaign to counteract the misinformation coming from the administration, because people are not getting services. People are getting sick and people are dying.”
- Elisha Dunn-Georgiou
The potential return of abstinence-based and natural methods of family planning—should aid resume without addressing the underlying issues—poses further concerns among experts. These methods are widely regarded as insufficient solutions for addressing reproductive health challenges.