REEVALUATING AND REALIGNING UNITED STATES FOREIGN AID
This executive order pauses all new US foreign aid disbursements for 90 days to review current programs for efficiency and alignment with US foreign policy.
The order cites concerns that the current system is misaligned with American interests and values.
Following the review period, programs will be either continued, modified, or terminated based on the Secretary of State's recommendations, along with the Office of Management and Budget.
A waiver provision exists for specific programs.
Arguments For
- Intended benefits: Increased efficiency and effectiveness of foreign aid spending, better alignment of aid with US foreign policy goals, potential for eliminating programs that contradict US interests.
- Evidence cited: The order explicitly states that the current system is misaligned with US interests and values, implying existing evidence of inefficiency or counterproductive outcomes. Further evidence would need to be gathered via Section 3's reviews.
- Implementation methods: A 90-day pause on new disbursements, followed by program reviews guided by the Secretary of State and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
- Legal/historical basis: The order is issued under the authority vested in the President by the Constitution and laws of the United States.
Arguments Against
- Potential impacts: Disruption of ongoing aid programs, potential harm to beneficiaries relying on US assistance, delays in addressing critical humanitarian needs, strained relations with recipient countries.
- Implementation challenges: The scale and complexity of reviewing numerous programs within 90 days, potential bureaucratic hurdles and inter-agency conflicts, difficulty in objectively assessing the alignment of aid programs with foreign policy goals.
- Alternative approaches: Gradual reforms of existing programs, increased oversight and monitoring mechanisms, targeted adjustments based on performance data rather than a complete pause.
- Unintended effects: Potential for political backlash, accusations of isolationism or abandoning allies, fostering distrust in US foreign policy commitments.
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
This is the standard opening statement for a Presidential Executive Order, establishing its legal basis and authority.
Section 1. Purpose. The United States foreign aid industry and bureaucracy are not aligned with American interests and in many cases antithetical to American values. They serve to destabilize world peace by promoting ideas in foreign countries that are directly inverse to harmonious and stable relations internal to and among countries.
This section outlines the rationale for the executive order.
It argues that the existing US foreign aid system is inefficient and, in some cases, counterproductive to US interests and global stability.
Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of United States that no further United States foreign assistance shall be disbursed in a manner that is not fully aligned with the foreign policy of the President of the United States.
This section establishes the new policy of ensuring that all US foreign aid is fully aligned with the President's foreign policy.
Sec. 3. (a) 90-day pause in United States foreign development assistance for assessment of programmatic efficiencies and consistency with United States foreign policy. All department and agency heads with responsibility for United States foreign development assistance programs shall immediately pause new obligations and disbursements of development assistance funds to foreign countries and implementing non-governmental organizations, international organizations, and contractors pending reviews of such programs for programmatic efficiency and consistency with United States foreign policy, to be conducted within 90 days of this order. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) shall enforce this pause through its apportionment authority.
(b) Reviews of United States foreign assistance programs. Reviews of each foreign assistance program shall be ordered by the responsible department and agency heads under guidelines provided by the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Director of OMB.
(c) Determinations. The responsible department and agency heads, in consultation with the Director of OMB, will make determinations within 90 days of this order on whether to continue, modify, or cease each foreign assistance program based upon the review recommendations, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State.
(d) Resumption of paused development assistance funding. New obligations and disbursements of foreign development assistance funds may resume for a program prior to the end of the 90-day period if a review is conducted, and the Secretary of State or his designee, in consultation with the Director of OMB, decide to continue the program in the same or modified form. Additionally, any other new foreign assistance programs and obligations must be approved by the Secretary of State or his designee, in consultation with the Director of OMB.
(e) Waiver. The Secretary of State may waive the pause in Section 3(a) for specific programs.
This section details the implementation of the policy.
A 90-day pause on foreign aid disbursement is imposed to allow for program reviews.
These reviews, conducted under guidelines from the Secretary of State and OMB, will determine whether programs continue, are modified, or cease.
The Secretary of State retains the authority to waive the pause for particular programs.
The OMB enforces the pause using its apportionment authority.
Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
This section provides general provisions clarifying the scope and limitations of the order.
It ensures that the order does not infringe on existing legal authorities, is subject to budgetary constraints and does not create any legally enforceable rights or benefits.
THE WHITE HOUSE,
January 20, 2025.
This is the closing section indicating the date and location of the order's issuance.
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