Trump Confirms Freeze on Foreign Aid Amid Policy Shift 

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed a freeze on foreign aid, signaling a major policy shift with potential global implications.

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that he implemented a broad suspension of aid to foreign countries.

“I initiated a pause on federal hiring, halted new federal regulations, and temporarily stopped foreign aid,” Trump announced to his supporters in Las Vegas on Saturday. “Additionally, I established the Department of Government Efficiency, promising to involve many talented individuals,” he continued.

Shortly after taking the oath of office on Monday, Trump signed an executive order to temporarily suspend all foreign development assistance programs for 90 days. This pause allows for evaluations to ensure these programs align with his ‘America First’ policy objectives.

Throughout his campaign, Trump pledged to reduce unnecessary expenditures and redirect the government’s focus toward domestic matters like U.S. sovereign debt and combating illegal immigration.

On Saturday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio allegedly released a memo stopping the distribution of funds via the State Department and United States Agency for International Development (USAID), with certain exceptions such as military aid to Israel and Egypt.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Rubio emphasized that every dollar spent, each funded program, and all pursued policies should be justified by answering three straightforward questions: Does it enhance America’s safety? Does it strengthen America? Does it contribute to America’s prosperity?

While the Pentagon previously stated that the aid freeze would not impact weapons deliveries to Ukraine, various news agencies have reported that Rubio’s memo does not include any exemptions for military aid to Ukraine or other key partners like Taiwan and NATO countries.

Trump has often criticized the former President Joe Biden’s administration for providing tens of billions of dollars in aid to Kiev, pledging instead to pursue a swift diplomatic resolution to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.