The current administration’s foreign policy approach reflects a series of monumental missteps that will go down in U.S. history as some of the most costly. Within a month into Donald Trump’s second term, there has been a disastrous halt on the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (U.S.A.I.D) operations. The resulting aftermath is an implosion of global consequences, with share prices of authoritarians and extremists skyrocketing, as they commend their fortuity.
As a bystander, the audacity of the government’s fervor in their attack on U.S.A.I.D and its dedicated staff who manage the programs leaves me reeling. It is clear that those orchestrating this deconstruction are keen to obscure the vital role U.S.A.I.D plays as America’s potent instrument in dealing with cross-border threats and the highly competitive strategic arena.
U.S.A.I.D’s support comes in a variety of forms, and despite accounting for less than 1 percent of the U.S. government’s total yearly spending, it serves as a solitary beacon of hope for the world’s formidable challenges. As much as there’s room for improving its efficiency, to a significant global population, the agency represents the main (and often sole) interaction with the United States.
Some U.S.A.I.D interventions manifest immediate and profound life-changing impacts, such as the crucial medication provided to half a million children battling H.I.V., or the nutrient-rich food fabricated in states like Rhode Island and Georgia, rescuing children on the precipice of starvation.
U.S.A.I.D. had spent close to $20 billion out of a total expenditure of $38 billion in fiscal year 2023, where the fund was channeled toward health programs aimed at eradicating malaria, tuberculosis, H.I.V./AIDS, and mitigating infectious disease outbreaks, coupled with humanitarian support to deliver emergency aid and restore stability in conflict-ridden regions.
Certain U.S.A.I.D initiatives may not be as conspicuous, yet they yield robust returns over the long-term trajectory such as creating education and employment opportunities for girls and augmenting local economies. Some of the agency’s most essential investments include aiding communities in rebuilding post-ISIS destruction and enhancing poor countries’ infrastructure to manage fatal infectious disease outbreaks, thus making an immense contribution to national security.
Unexpectedly, U.S.A.I.D. has laid off bird flu monitoring activities in 49 countries, ceased operations with vulnerable youth in Central America aimed at restraining gang violence that triggers migration, stopped Agent Orange cleanup in Vietnam, discontinued polio elimination efforts, and dropped collaborations with communities in Syria, Morocco, and Kazakhstan geared to minimize susceptibility to radicalization.
The repercussions of these programs being obliterated are immense, causing long-lasting harm that future generations will have to grapple with. Despite the narrative being portrayed, the agency in no way reflects the ‘radical left’ or a ‘criminal’ entity that Mr. Trump claims to be tackling.
Considering U.S.A.I.D.’s rigid supervision from Congress coupled with meticulous online documentations of all programs and expenditures, the comparison drawn is far from the truth. Mysteriously, one of the initial measures undertaken by those eager to disband the agency was to shut down the U.S.A.I.D. website.
The impacts of these hasty, irresponsible decisions stand to be both deep and long-lasting. From the lives saved and the economies bolstered, to the partnerships built and the security provided, the effects of U.S.A.I.D’s work reverberate globally.
The persistent determination to obscure the truth about the agency’s contributions to the global community reveals a disheartening lack of understanding or sheer avoidance of the reality of its importance. But the truth cannot remain hidden forever.
By halting these programs and disassembling the structures that supported them, the global reach and relational capital of the United States stands at a precipice. The loss is not just ours but is a grievous tragedy for those across the world who relied upon these services.
It’s not enough to sit back and accept this reckless course of action. We must voice our discontent, challenge the false narratives, and fight for a U.S. foreign policy that understands and values the interconnectedness of our world.
The role of U.S.A.I.D., its programs, and the public servants who work so diligently on them, are not a political tool to be manipulated but a necessary global lifeline. Attempting to present it as a radicalized or criminal organization does a disservice not only to the staff but to the countless people who depend on its services.
The future remains uncertain, as policymakers continue to make ill-advised decisions that prolong the unraveling of an agency that, for better or for worse, played a role in shaping the world stage. What is clear, even amidst the chaos, is the urgent need for a return to fair and well-considered governance.