U.S.-funded aid initiatives globally are beginning to terminate staff and either cease operations or prepare to do so, as the Trump administration implements an unprecedented freeze on nearly all foreign assistance, abruptly halting their activities.

Allied nations, including Ukraine, are also facing challenges in preserving portions of their security funding due to a 90-day freeze mandated by President Donald Trump last week. Additionally, Trump has suspended federal grants and loans within the United States.

The Trump administration has stated that the pause in foreign aid is intended to allow time for a review of which among the numerous humanitarian, development, and security programs will continue to receive U.S. funding.

In the interim, U.S. officials have instructed these programs to halt all expenditures immediately, with only emergency food assistance and military support for allies Israel and Egypt being exempt from this directive.

As a result of the freeze, schools in Liberia are preparing to lay off staff responsible for providing lunches to children. U.S. initiatives aimed at supporting American businesses overseas and countering China’s growing influence may also be at risk of closure. Veterans in Ukraine who reach out to a crisis hotline may soon encounter a recorded message, with no assurance of a follow-up call.

An overview of the foreign funding freeze and its impact on U.S. aid programs globally:

Confronting the extensive ramifications of the aid suspension

The United States remains the predominant provider of foreign assistance, contributing significantly more than any other nation, despite others allocating a larger percentage of their budgets to aid. It accounts for 40% of all humanitarian aid donations.

Aid workers, local officials, and analysts emphasize the challenge in fully understanding the magnitude of the funding freeze.

“The aid community is struggling to comprehend the existential threat posed by this suspension of aid,” remarked Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America, one of the few aid leaders willing to publicly address the freeze’s consequences in light of warnings from the Trump administration.

On Monday, the Trump administration placed over 50 senior officials at the U.S. Agency for International Development on leave, as many were assisting organizations in navigating the funding freeze. The acting head of USAID indicated that he was looking into whether these officials were defying Trump’s directives.

For decades, U.S. policy has maintained that foreign aid ultimately benefits national security by fostering stability in regions and economies and enhancing relationships with international partners.

However, numerous officials from the Trump administration and Republican lawmakers contend that a significant portion of foreign assistance is funding that should be allocated domestically.

Rep. Brian Mast, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, stated, “We expect the State Department to either defend, justify, or, in some instances, advocate for the continuation of their programs.”

The majority of U.S. military funding for Ukraine remains unaffected

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has indicated that the U.S. funding freeze does not impact essential American support for his military as it combats Russian aggression, which is largely accurate.

The State Department is primarily responsible for foreign military financing and international military education and training, which are the only military aid areas impacted by the pause. Other funding streams exist for U.N. peacekeeping and demining initiatives.

However, the bulk of Ukraine’s military assistance has been provided by the Pentagon. This includes a program utilizing existing arms inventories and the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which finances weapons contracts with delivery timelines extending over a year.

The freeze does not directly affect either of the Defense Department’s programs, although U.S. officials have noted that there are currently no new initiatives in progress.

Conversely, civilian programs critical to Ukraine’s war efforts are funded by the State Department, and there have been no announcements regarding exemptions for these programs. This includes financial support aimed at sustaining Ukraine’s government amid the economic challenges posed by the conflict.

Support is crucial, emphasized Bradley Bowman from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. “However, if our European allies are accurately interpreting the current political climate in the United States, they should act swiftly to assume most, if not all, of that responsibility.”

Funding for programs assisting Ukraine’s veterans has not been exempted

The U.S. has issued stop-work orders for civilian initiatives it backs in Ukraine.

This includes Veteran Hub, a nonprofit organization that operates a crisis hotline, receiving up to 1,300 calls monthly from Ukrainian veterans seeking social and psychological assistance.

Upon receiving the stop-work order this weekend, Ivona Kostyna, the leader of the nonprofit, recognized that she might soon have to let go of half of her 31 trained staff members.

“If we had received a month’s notice, or even two weeks, it would have made things significantly easier for us,” she stated. “We could have found a way to secure our operations during this period. Unfortunately, there was no advance warning.”

Just days before the U.S. funding freeze, Veteran Hub was contacted by an individual in crisis, according to Kostyna. A hotline staff member stayed in touch with the person throughout the night.

“Now, we are left with a non-functional hotline and essentially no support, which is deeply concerning for us,” she remarked.

A ‘death sentence’ for some

In Zimbabwe, Gumisayi Bonzo, director of a health nonprofit, expressed her concerns for her organization and her own well-being.

Zimbabwe stands out as one of the few African nations to reach significant milestones in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of HIV/AIDS. This progress is largely attributed to a pioneering HIV program initiated by Republican President George W. Bush, which has been credited with saving over 20 million lives.

The initiative known as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, has come under scrutiny from Republican hardliners. Bonzo, representing the Trans Smart Trust, which advocates for health services for bisexual and transgender individuals in a nation where discrimination and stigma often prevent many from seeking care, has not yet received any notification regarding a potential funding halt for her organization.

“Everyone is just confused right now,” Bonzo remarked.

At 54 years old, she has been receiving HIV treatment for 23 years, a journey made possible by PEPFAR’s support that has ensured the affordability of her medication.

“I have been consistently taking my medications for over two decades, allowing me to lead a normal life, and now we face the possibility of stopping,” she expressed. “For many, that would be a death sentence.”

Some have labeled the potential funding cutoff as ‘cruel.’

Gyude Moore, a former Cabinet minister in Liberia and now a fellow at the U.S.-based Center for Global Development, stated that the U.S. funding freeze would have detrimental effects on lives across Africa.

U.S. assistance has played a crucial role in helping West Africa recover from years of brutal conflicts. Funding from USAID has supported school meal programs, promoted girls’ education, strengthened healthcare systems, and aided small-scale farmers.

Moore, along with many of his peers, described the abrupt funding cutoff as “cruel.”

“There is no flexibility in this situation,” he noted.

Neglecting this support is detrimental to the U.S., as it fails to differentiate between allies, partners, and adversaries, he noted.

Moreover, U.S. competitor China is poised to expand its presence in Africa, seeking to enhance its influence and secure business agreements in resource-abundant nations, according to Moore and other experts.

“Providing nourishment to underprivileged children in Liberia or addressing malnutrition in Kenya, as well as supplying essential anti-retroviral medications in Uganda, do not compromise American interests,” Moore emphasized.

Fears of ceding ground to China

The U.S. has also sought to enhance its presence in the South Pacific to counteract China’s sway, which includes increasing USAID funding to countries heavily reliant on development assistance.

During trips to the Pacific in 2024, officials unveiled over $15 million in new funding aimed at improving resilience to natural disasters, fostering economic development, and assisting nations in combating the devastating impacts of climate change, among other initiatives.