-Analysis-
PARIS – Donald Trump has ushered in this new era with a show of brute force. It’s been evident in his first international clashes and the initial wave of deportations of undocumented immigrants.
True to form, the White House first targeted two areas symbolic of its ultra-conservative stance: cuts in social aid for the most vulnerable in the U.S. and cuts in humanitarian and development assistance internationally. In the end, it moved too fast, too far — its plan to immediately freeze domestic social aid, approved on Monday, was dropped by Wednesday.
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It’s the first retreat in the face of public outcry and initial legal challenges from a decision that threatened millions of the most vulnerable. Undoubtedly, the administration will retreat and return, likely with more targeted measures, including gender and diversity issues, and the environment, among its ideological fixations.
The 90-day freeze on international aid does remain, having not raised those kinds of hue and cries on the streets of Washington as the cut off of such domestic programs as Medicaid. But the discomfort does build, and the administration has already started making exceptions. First recipients exempted from the freeze: Israel and Egypt.
Aid freeze fallout
Meanwhile, civilian aid to Ukraine has been cut, and NGOs supporting veterans and war amputees there say they can already feel the pinch. However, emergency food assistance and so-called “life-saving” programs have been spared — though the administration has yet to define exactly what qualifies under that label.
The U.S. decision was enforced abruptly, taking immediate effect — even for ongoing programs. At the start of the week, the jobs of 60 senior officials at USAID, the federal agency overseeing international aid with a massive billion budget, were suspended. Meanwhile, staffers were warned against any attempts to bypass the directive.
The United States is, by a long shot, the world’s largest contributor to international aid, accounting for roughly 40% of global assistance, far more than its share of the world economy. Indeed, any new administration has the right to reassess its priorities; and the Donald Trump approach is, above all, a political statement — a show of force and determination.
How power can backfire
Take this example: Filippo Grandi, head of the United Nations refugee agency, has informed his teams that all travel, events, and hiring have been put on hold. This comes from an organization widely recognized for its work aiding the world’s most desperate — the displaced and dispossessed.
An international humanitarian NGO, which relies on USAID for 20% of its budget, is left scrambling to figure out how to fund its teams working in high-risk areas. HIV programs, which support millions of patients, are uncertain whether they’ll be covered by the exemptions. It’s pure chaos and panic.
Beijing will relish the opportunity to highlight the selfishness of American superpower around the world.
To justify the halt, the Trump administration spread fake news, like the claim of sending condoms to Gaza — something quickly debunked by the U.S. press, using USAID’s own reports. But for proponents of “alternative facts,” the truth hardly matters.
The offensive smacks of a president portrayed as all-powerful, ready to reward those who pledge loyalty to him. The risk, however, is pushing them into the arms of America’s rivals, the Russians and especially the Chinese. Those nations seeking to expand their influence around the world, who will relish the opportunity to highlight the selfishness of American superpower around the world. Power is a weapon that has to be held with care.
