Rubio orders freeze of new funding for nearly all U.S. foreign aid programs
Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered a pause Friday on "all new obligations of funding, pending a review, for (U.S.) foreign assistance programs funded by or through the Department and USAID." The internal memo from Rubio to his staff appeared to be implementing the executive order to reevaluate U.S. foreign aid, signed by President Trump on his first day in office.
Rubio's order, sent to U.S. diplomatic and consular posts and obtained Friday by CBS News, stated that across the U.S. government, "it is currently impossible to access sufficient information in one place to determine whether the foreign assistance policies and interests supported by appropriations are not duplicated, are effective, and are consistent with President Trump's foreign policy."
The State Department "needs a centralized repository from which senior Department, USAID officials, Ambassadors, missions and others can draw sufficiently detailed information from which the Secretary can make judgments," the Rubio memo also said, and it continued, "Further guidance regarding a new or updated repository and mandatory bureau submissions to it will be forthcoming."
Under Rubio's order, there is an 85-day deadline for a "government-wide comprehensive review of all foreign assistance" to be completed, and, it stated, "a report shall be produced to the Secretary of State for his consideration and recommendation to the President."
European diplomats tell CBS News that while Rubio's order does not affect military aid or direct aid to foreign governments, it does impact civilian aid programs for most countries including Ukraine — from NGOs and human rights groups, to vaccinations and other health programs. It also impacts USAID projects and the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief — known as PEPFAR — which could interrupt the provision of antiviral medications (ARVs) for millions of HIV patients.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed Saturday that the U.S. had not halted military aid to Ukraine.
The order more specifically stated that U.S. foreign military financing for Israel and Egypt is exempt. In its last days, the Biden administration had reportedly intended to divert tens of millions of dollars in U.S. military aid originally intended for Egypt to go to Lebanon instead, to support the Lebanese Armed Forces following the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire deal. CBS News has learned that the Biden administration's reprogramming of the military aid funds from Egypt to Lebanon was still under consideration, and it is now unclear whether that will also be impacted by the aid freeze order.
The State Department's new spokesperson, Tammy Bruce, said in a a statement, Saturday, "President Trump stated clearly that the United States is no longer going to blindly dole out money with no return for the American people. Reviewing and realigning foreign assistance on behalf of hardworking taxpayers is not just the right thing to do, it is a moral imperative."
The president's executive order on U.S. foreign aid is broad and will undergo a 90-day review. More details will emerge during or after the review period, and foreign governments will be officially informed.
The order also appears to immediately impact current existing aid programs, stating, "For existing foreign assistance awards, contracting officers and grant officers shall immediately issue stop-work orders, consistent with the terms of the relevant award, until such time as the Secretary shall determine, following a review."
It also noted that emergency food assistance, "salaries and related administrative expenses, including travel for U.S. direct hire employees, personal services contractors and locally employed staff," and "exceptions" to the pause approved by the State Department Director of Foreign Assistance Office are also exempt.
President Trump told reporters Saturday he would like other countries to spend more on foreign aid. "We're like a one-way street so we want other people to help us and we want other people to join us. We are spending billions and billions and billions of dollars and other countries that are wealthy are spending zero," the president told reporters aboard Air Force One. "Why should we be the only ones?
In a public letter addressed to Secretary Rubio on Friday, Democratic Reps. Gregory Meeks, ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Lois Frankel, ranking member of the House National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Subcommittee, wrote, "United States foreign assistance programs promote stability in other countries to help stop crises from expanding directly to our doorstep."
"Foreign assistance is not a handout; it is a strategic investment in our future that is vital for U.S. global leadership and a more resilient world," they added. "It directly serves our national interests and demonstrates our credibility to allies, partners, and vulnerable people who rely on American assistance for survival."