WASHINGTON — Over the past 24 years, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided more than $109 billion in aid to Afghanistan. However, its future role is now uncertain as the Trump administration moves to revoke its independence and suspend foreign assistance.
On Monday, employees at USAID headquarters in Washington were informed that the building was closed for the day, hours after billionaire Elon Musk claimed on social media that President Donald Trump had agreed to shut down the agency. The report, first published by Reuters, has raised concerns about the fate of humanitarian aid programs worldwide.
According to data from the U.S. Department of State and USAID, more than $3.7 billion of U.S. aid has flowed to Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power in 2021, primarily channeled through U.N. agencies to deliver humanitarian assistance. However, with the suspension of U.S. foreign aid, many USAID-funded institutions in Afghanistan have either closed or reduced operations, leaving thousands of employees on forced leave.
The United States has been Afghanistan’s largest financial donor, with USAID serving as the primary channel for delivering aid.
USAID’s Aid to Afghanistan by Year:
2001–2021: More than $105 billion
2022–2025: More than $3.7 billion
2024: More than $746 million
The suspension of aid has already had an immediate impact, particularly on U.N. agencies that were providing humanitarian assistance to nearly 23 million Afghans in need.
The economic strain on ordinary Afghans has worsened amid the fluctuating value of the afghani.
“When the dollar rises, everything becomes more expensive—flour, oil, everything,” said Ajmal Parwani, a Kabul resident. “But when the dollar drops, prices don’t go down. Poor people can’t afford to buy anything.”
On Monday, the exchange rate stood at 75 afghanis per U.S. dollar, but despite the Taliban’s attempts to devalue the dollar, commodity prices in local markets remain high, keeping economic pressure on households.
“When the dollar goes up, prices rise. When the dollar goes down, prices still go up,” said Nasir Ahmad, another Kabul resident. “It’s a problem either way.”
Taliban have denied receiving direct aid from the United States, but some political analysts argue that continued financial assistance has played a role in sustaining their rule by helping stabilize Afghanistan’s fragile political and economic landscape.
The Trump administration’s freeze on USAID funding is set to last for at least 80 days, but with ongoing tensions over the agency’s fate, it remains unclear whether aid to Afghanistan will resume once the review period ends—or whether the country will face even greater economic and humanitarian challenges in the months ahead.
