Hundreds of U.S. diplomats have formally protested the dismantling of USAID and the freeze on foreign aid, warning it undermines U.S. global leadership and strengthens adversaries like China and Russia.
More than 700 diplomats and officials from the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) signed a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, opposing the Trump administration’s decision to halt nearly all foreign aid.
In a dissent cable filed with the department’s internal system, diplomats argued that the 90-day freeze, imposed on January 20, endangers U.S. personnel and weakens key alliances.
"The freeze on life-saving aid has already caused irreparable harm," the letter stated, adding that promised waivers for critical programs have not materialized.
President Donald Trump appointed billionaire Elon Musk to oversee the dismantling of USAID as part of a broad effort to cut federal spending. The administration has canceled 92% of foreign aid contracts, amounting to $54 billion in cuts.
A State Department spokesperson declined to comment on the internal dissent but confirmed that USAID has already terminated thousands of staff and contractors.
The Supreme Court ruled against the administration on Wednesday, ordering the government to release payments owed to foreign aid contractors for completed work.
Despite the ruling, the future of U.S. humanitarian assistance remains uncertain, with diplomats warning that halting aid creates a power vacuum that geopolitical rivals could exploit.
The investigation into the downing of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243, which crashed near Aktau on 25 December 2024, is nearing completion, Kazakhstan...
Shots were fired outside Serbia's parliament building in Belgrade on Wednesday and one person was injured, local media reported....
The Louvre in Paris reopened on Wednesday, three days after thieves made off with historic jewellery worth an estimated 88 million euros ($102 million...
Flights were suspended from 10:30pm on Tuesday until 6:30am on Wednesday, following sightings of illicit balloon traffic in Lithuanian airspace, the N...
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has welcomed Azerbaijan’s decision to lift all transit restrictions on cargo shipments to Armenia, calling i...
Mayor of Kharkiv Ihor Terekhov, has said that a private Kindergarten in the Kholodnohirskyi district was hit during Russian strikes, injuring children while others were evacuated.
The investigation into the downing of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243, which crashed near Aktau on 25 December 2024, is nearing completion, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev said on Wednesday.
Flights were suspended from 10:30pm on Tuesday until 6:30am on Wednesday, following sightings of illicit balloon traffic in Lithuanian airspace, the National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC) said.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has welcomed Azerbaijan’s decision to lift all transit restrictions on cargo shipments to Armenia, calling it a major step toward regional peace and economic cooperation.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
Snapchat will start charging users who store more than 5GB of photos and videos in its Memories feature, prompting backlash from long-time users.
The investigation into the downing of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243, which crashed near Aktau on 25 December 2024, is nearing completion, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev said on Wednesday.
Shots were fired outside Serbia's parliament building in Belgrade on Wednesday and one person was injured, local media reported.
Flights were suspended from 10:30pm on Tuesday until 6:30am on Wednesday, following sightings of illicit balloon traffic in Lithuanian airspace, the National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC) said.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 22 October, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Peru's President Jose Jeri declared on Tuesday a 30-day state of emergency in the capital Lima and the neighboring province of Callao, saying the move was to battle rising crime.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment