Last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that lifesaving humanitarian work would be exempt from a freeze on foreign aid, providing hope to 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 directions. Similar instructions were communicated to senior officials at the Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance during a recent meeting.
U.S.A.I.D. officials and partner organizations have faced challenges in continuing essential services promised by Rubio, which include “core lifesaving medicine, medical services, food, shelter, and substance assistance.” While some waivers have been issued for programs classified as lifesaving, the agency's payments system, Phoenix, has been inaccessible for weeks, hindering even those programs.
Despite claims from Elon Musk, who has been empowered by the Trump administration to oversee changes at U.S.A.I.D., that funding for Ebola and H.I.V. prevention has been activated, reports indicate that this funding remains frozen. Musk's team has taken control of the agency’s payments system, and plans to significantly reduce U.S.A.I.D. staff have been circulated.
Organizations reliant on U.S.A.I.D. funding have struggled to pay workers and suppliers, with the Norwegian Refugee Council stating it has millions in outstanding payment requests. The organization warned that without a resolution, it may have to halt lifesaving programs by the end of February.
New political appointees at the State Department and U.S.A.I.D. have introduced additional obstacles, requiring individual waivers for projects under approved programs. U.S.A.I.D. staff have expressed concern that the pause on waivers signals an impending end to their lifesaving work.
Notifications sent to agency officials indicated that approximately 350 awards would be canceled, with uncertainty surrounding the total number of potential cancellations. Accusations have emerged against U.S.A.I.D. officials for allegedly delaying efforts to terminate programs while conducting their own reviews.
In response to the cuts, unions representing U.S.A.I.D. staff and partner organizations have initiated lawsuits, arguing that the downsizing measures are unconstitutional and illegal. One lawsuit highlighted that $250 million worth of health supplies are stranded due to the freeze, leading to significant staff furloughs at a development firm.
The Trump administration has defended its actions, asserting that the president has broad discretion over aid provisions. Meanwhile, the agency continues to undergo drastic changes, including the dismissal of the U.S.A.I.D. inspector general, who had warned of potential misuse of funds due to staff reductions and spending freezes.
Recent actions have included further cuts to contractors and the termination of U.S.A.I.D.'s lease for its headquarters. Employees have reported losing access to their office space and parking privileges, with most barred from entering the building for over a week.
Foreign Service officers have been ordered to return to the U.S., with a federal judge temporarily delaying this order. Many employees anticipate significant layoffs, with remaining staff likely to be absorbed into the State Department, as both Trump and Musk have expressed intentions to dismantle the agency.