U.S. development aid

Shutting down development agencies such as the MCC will force Mongolia to rely more on Russia and China for funding.

Donald Trump’s gutting of the American aid agency has adversely impacted humanitarian work in countries like Sri Lanka – while calling into question the reliability of Western foreign aid in the Global South.

The Trump administration's foreign aid cuts have crippled U.S. efforts to support earthquake relief efforts. But that's not the only damage they will do.

Many Chinese civil society organizations became reliant on now-frozen U.S. government aid after funding from private U.S. organizations dried up.

Rohingya refugees are already facing significant challenges due to a reduction in international support. The freeze in U.S. aid has forced many vital programs to shut down entirely.

From the direct (military assistance) to the indirect (waning U.S. influence), the freeze could have dire implications for Taiwan’s foreign policy interests.

U.S. aid has always comes with strings attached. But Trump’s latest move to suspend all assistance isn’t just a political statement – it’s already having a tangible impact in Pakistan.

Even under the Taliban’s rule, U.S. aid has played a vital role in Afghanistan.

In the Pacific, the Biden administration made a real effort to increase U.S. presence, opening embassies and announcing USAID programs. All of this has now been squandered.

USAID was based on a flawed development theory from its inception. It’s past time to address that foundational mistake.