Washington — The State Department issued a sweeping “stop-work” order on Friday for existing foreign assistance programs and paused new aid commitments, according to a cable obtained by Reuters. The directive follows an order from President Donald J. Trump to halt aid pending a review to ensure alignment with his administration’s foreign policy priorities.
The cable, drafted by the department’s Office of Foreign Assistance and approved by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, announced waivers for military financing to Israel and Egypt. No other countries, including Afghanistan, were mentioned.
The move coincides with efforts by Representative Tim Burchett, Republican of Tennessee, to curtail the flow of U.S. funds to the Taliban. On Friday, Mr. Burchett announced that a Senate version of his “No Tax Dollars for Terrorists Act” had been introduced to a Senate committee. The proposed legislation would heighten oversight of U.S. aid to Afghanistan.
Critics warn that the freeze risks cutting off billions of dollars in life-saving assistance. The United States is the world’s largest donor of foreign aid, disbursing $72 billion in fiscal year 2023.
The State Department directive, issued hours after Mr. Trump’s inauguration on Monday, mandates a 90-day pause on foreign development assistance while a review is conducted. According to the cable, senior officials are to ensure that, “to the maximum extent permitted by law, no new obligations shall be made for foreign assistance” until Mr. Rubio completes the review. Stop-work orders were also instructed for all existing foreign assistance awards.
“This is lunacy,” said Jeremy Konyndyk, a former USAID official and current president of Refugees International. “This will kill people. If implemented as written in that cable … a lot of people will die. This is not a good-faith attempt to review aid effectiveness. It’s a wrecking ball to break as much as possible.”
A congressional source, speaking on condition of anonymity, criticized the freeze as unlawful. “Freezing these international investments will lead our global partners to seek funding elsewhere—likely from U.S. competitors and adversaries—further eroding American influence,” the source said.
The freeze adds uncertainty to U.S. aid efforts and raises questions about the administration’s broader foreign policy agenda.
