Rubio exempting 'life-saving humanitarian assistance’ from foreign aid restrictions

Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a waiver on Tuesday exempting “life-saving humanitarian assistance” from President Trump’s executive order pausing nearly all foreign aid during a period of review.

Trump’s executive order pausing funding, issued on his first day in office, suspended any new U.S. foreign development assistance for 90 days and directed a review of foreign aid programs to ensure they lined up with Trump’s “America First” foreign policy.

The executive order also included a waiver for the secretary of State to waive the rules for “specific programs.”

“To carry out President Trump’s Executive Order on Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid, yesterday I approved an additional waiver of the pause for life-saving humanitarian assistance during the period of the review,” Rubio said in a statement Wednesday.

The statement directed “implementers” of the life-saving programs to “continue or resume work if they have stopped, subject to the directions outlined in this waiver.”

“This resumption is temporary in nature, and with limited exceptions as needed to continue life-saving humanitarian assistance programs, no new contracts shall be entered into,” the statement continued.

The waiver Tuesday specified that life-saving humanitarian assistance refers to “core life-saving medicine, medical services, food, shelter, and subsistence assistance,” in addition to other “reasonable” administrative costs needed to deliver the aid.

The waiver does not apply to activities such as abortions, family planning, gender or diversity, equity and inclusion ideology programs, transgender surgeries “or other non-life saving assistance,” the waiver read.

Following Trump’s executive order, the State Department on Friday imposed a wide-ranging halt of U.S. funding for projects abroad, excluding military aid and food programs for Egypt and Israel. It cut billions of dollars to back anti-corruption, development, health and other programs.

The U.S. allocated about $60 billion for aid dispersed around the world in 2023, according to The Associated Press.

Trump’s executive order pausing foreign aid sparked concern among Democrats and some Republicans about the effect such a pause would have on allies in Ukraine and Taiwan and on the evolving situation in the Middle East.

Reps. Gregory Meeks (N.Y.) and Lois Frankel (Fla.) — the top Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House National Security, Department of State and Related Programs (NSRP) Appropriations Subcommittee, respectively — wrote a letter to Rubio on Friday asking him to lift the foreign aid pause, expressing concern that it placed lives “at risk” and “undermines American leadership and credibility around the world.”

“Foreign assistance is not a handout,” they wrote. “It is a strategic investment in our future that is vital for U.S. global leadership and a more resilient world. It directly serves our national interests and demonstrates our credibility to allies, partners, and vulnerable people who rely on American assistance for survival.”

“World-altering events are currently unfolding in Syria and Lebanon, and it is undoubtedly in the U.S. national interest to shape these events,” they added. “By pausing all of our current programs and not being able to respond to new opportunities, we cede this space to Iran and other adversaries and threaten to undermine promising regional developments.”

Topics

US officials push to exempt Ukraine from Rubio’s foreign aid freeze

Support for schools, hospitals and economic development in Ukraine at risk from Trump administration’s order
Financial Times - 4d
House Democrats urge Rubio to lift foreign assistance freeze

House Democrats urged President Trump’s Secretary of State Marco Rubio to lift the foreign assistance freeze mandated by an executive order from earlier this week, cutting off most U.S-funded ...
The Hill - 5d
Rubio orders freeze of new funding for nearly all U.S. foreign aid programs

The secretary of state's order made exceptions for military aid to Israel and Egypt.
CBS News - 5d
Secretary of State Marco Rubio orders halt to almost all U.S. foreign aid

The directive follows President Donald Trump’s executive order Monday pausing new obligations and disbursements of foreign aid pending review.
NBC News - 5d
Secretary of State Rubio orders U.S. to immediately stop almost all foreign aid

Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered an immediate stop to the flow of almost all U.S. foreign assistance, pending a review, according to an internal State Department cable obtained by NBC News. A ...
NBC News - 5d
Marco Rubio demands immediate halt to virtually all US foreign aid

Secretary of state freezes contracts around the world, fulfilling executive order from Donald Trump
Financial Times - 5d
Rubio Oversees Halt to Foreign Aid and Meets With Asian Diplomats on Day 1

Marco Rubio told State Department employees that changes under President Trump “are not meant to be destructive, they’re not meant to be punitive.”
The New York Times - Jan. 22
Gaza to receive €120 million in humanitarian aid from EU in 2025

Yahoo News - Jan. 16
U.S. Eases Some Restrictions on Humanitarian Aid to Syria

The authorization comes after rebels toppled the Syrian government last month and is intended to allow humanitarian groups to operate more freely without running afoul of U.S. sanctions.
The New York Times - Jan. 6