Last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that lifesaving humanitarian work would be exempt from a freeze on foreign aid, providing a moment of relief for global health workers. However, a new directive has since put these exemptions on hold.
On Tuesday, senior employees at the U.S. Agency for International Development (U.S.A.I.D.) Bureau of Global Health received an email instructing them to “please hold off on any more approvals” pending further guidance from the acting chief of staff. Similar instructions were conveyed to senior officials at the Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance during a meeting.
U.S.A.I.D. officials and their partners have faced challenges in continuing lifesaving work, including core medical services and food assistance. While some waivers have been issued for programs deemed "lifesaving," the agency's payments system, Phoenix, has been inaccessible for weeks, hindering even those programs that received waivers.
The State Department did not respond to a request for comment regarding the situation. On the same day, Elon Musk, empowered by President Trump to oversee changes at the agency, claimed that funding for Ebola and H.I.V. prevention had been activated. However, multiple sources indicate that this funding remains frozen.
Musk's team has taken control of U.S.A.I.D.'s payments system, and the State Department is reportedly planning to reduce U.S.A.I.D.'s workforce from approximately 10,000 to just 611 essential personnel. Without access to funding, partner organizations have struggled to pay their workers and suppliers.
The Norwegian Refugee Council, which conducts humanitarian work in around 20 countries, stated that it is unable to utilize the waivers due to halted payments, warning that civilians in conflict zones could suffer if U.S.-funded programs are discontinued.
New political appointees at U.S.A.I.D. have introduced additional obstacles, complicating the waiver process for individual projects. Recent notifications to agency staff indicated that approximately 350 awards would be canceled, with uncertainty surrounding the status of about 800 potential cancellations.
Accusations have arisen against U.S.A.I.D. officials for delaying the termination of programs while conducting their own reviews to safeguard lifesaving work. As reductions commence, unions and organizations affiliated with U.S.A.I.D. have initiated lawsuits to challenge the cuts, arguing they are unconstitutional and illegal.
One lawsuit highlighted that $250 million worth of health supplies is stranded due to stop-work orders linked to the funding freeze, resulting in significant staff furloughs at the development firm Chemonics.
In response to ongoing legal challenges, the Trump administration has defended its discretion over aid provisions. Meanwhile, drastic changes to U.S.A.I.D. continue, including the dismissal of the agency's inspector general, who had issued a report warning of potential misuse of funds due to staff cuts and spending freezes.
Additionally, the General Services Administration has terminated U.S.A.I.D.'s lease for its headquarters in Washington, D.C., repurposing the space for other government needs. Employees have reported losing parking privileges and access to the building, with most barred from entering for over a week.
Foreign Service officers have been ordered to return to the U.S., and a federal judge has temporarily delayed the implementation of this directive pending further hearings. Many employees anticipate significant layoffs, with remaining staff likely to be integrated into the State Department, as both Trump and Musk have expressed intentions to dismantle the agency.