President Donald Trump has suspended a significant number of officials from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in response to their attempts to bypass his executive order on freezing foreign aid.

The action was taken after it was reported that some officials at the agency were trying to subvert the president’s directive.

The Suspension Details

On Monday, dozens of career government employees at USAID were put on leave, with one staff member revealing to the Wall Street Journal that 57 individuals were affected.

Jason Gray, the acting administrator of USAID, addressed the issue in an email to staff, which was later shared with The Washington Post.

In his message, Gray stated that certain actions within the agency seemed designed to sidestep the president’s orders.

“We have identified several actions within USAID that appear to be designed to circumvent the President’s Executive orders,” Gray wrote.

“As a result, we have placed a number of USAID employees on administrative leave with full pay and benefits until further notice.”

Executive Order on Foreign Aid

Trump’s order on January 24th instructed that the U.S. State Department and USAID halt all foreign assistance, with the exceptions of aid to Israel and Egypt, and emergency food assistance in dire situations.

This 90-day pause is meant to ensure that foreign aid programs align with the president’s “America First” policy.

In light of this, the administration has warned that any staff who disregard the order may face disciplinary actions.

The U.S. allocates a vast $60 billion annually for foreign aid, making it the leading global provider of humanitarian support.

The “Stop-Work” Order and Its Impact

Following the executive order, Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a “stop-work” order, halting the use of any funds that had already been allocated to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and charity groups.

This move affects a wide range of programs, including childhood vaccine campaigns, counter-terrorism training, and critical health initiatives.

Programs aimed at combating HIV, which have saved millions of lives globally, are among those impacted.

Humanitarian aid to refugee camps, including one housing 40,000 people in Syria, and food supplies to Sudan, where millions face starvation, have also been disrupted.

Additionally, military assistance to countries like Ukraine, Jordan, and Taiwan has been paused.

Humanitarian Groups Raise Alarm

As the freeze continues, humanitarian organizations have flooded the State Department with requests for waivers, stressing the life-threatening consequences of withholding aid.

Despite these concerns, the State Department maintains that the three-month pause is necessary for a comprehensive review of foreign assistance programs to ensure they are efficient and aligned with Trump’s policies.

Waiver requests must go through a rigorous review process, first by USAID leadership, and then by Rubio’s office.

A Thorough Scrutiny of Aid Programs

According to a memo obtained by Reuters, any waiver request must be carefully justified, demonstrating that the assistance is essential for saving lives or addressing significant national security risks.

The pause in spending will lead to a “comprehensive review” of all foreign aid programs, with a promise that “business as usual” will no longer apply.

Every program will be carefully scrutinized before any funds are disbursed.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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