USAID
Where’s Plumpy’Nut? A lifesaving food for malnourished kids is caught up in U.S. cuts
It's a "ready-to-use therapeutic food" that's had remarkable success in treating malnourished kids. The State Department says it's still available. Factories and field workers have a different view.
Portraits: A 10-year-old, a house painter and a mom who are running out of HIV pills
HIV medications were supposed to be exempt from U.S. aid cuts. In Zambia, for example, those on the ground say otherwise.
Haunted by hopelessness: 12 Zambians share their stories as HIV drugs run out
Mothers and children, husbands and wives, doctors, truck drivers and religious leaders are all grappling with the fallout from the sudden U.S. cuts in aid.
Dozens of USAID contracts were canceled last weekend. Here’s what happened
The rationale was to address "mismanagement, fraud, and misaligned priorities." Former USAID official Jeremy Konyndyk said reversals and inconsistences in the cancellations created "total whiplash."
A midwife says of the aid cuts in Afghanistan: ‘No one prioritizes women’s lives.’
With the abrupt shutdown of USAID funding, many clinics, including those serving women in remote areas, have shuttered. Midwives are reporting that mothers and babies are dying as a result.
USAID terminates nearly all its remaining employees
The remaining USAID employees were given an end-of-employment date in an email sent out today.
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has its billion dollar grant cut by Trump administration
Gavi, which helps countries purchase and distribute vaccines, is among thousands of programs determined to be "inconsistent with the national interest or Agency policy priorities."
Pete Marocco tried to upend USAID in 2020 — and failed. In 2025, he dismantled it
This Trump administration official was a key figure in the dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development — and will help set the agenda for the future of foreign aid.
5 takeaways from this week — from courts pushing back on Trump to wars overseas
Here are five takeaways from a week when President Trump moved ahead with deportations and sweeping changes to the federal government — and ran into obstacles in the courts.
As U.S. foreign aid programs grind to a halt, African health leaders look for a silver lining
Chad has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality. A group of midwives helped but now their jobs are on the line — one of many cases where countries must try to keep such programs alive.
Rubio announces that 83% of USAID contracts will be canceled
In a memo posted to X on Monday morning, the secretary of state said 5,200 contracts had been canceled following a six-week review.
Trump says ‘male circumcision in Mozambique’ is a ‘scam.’ What’s the program about?
In his Tuesday address to Congress, President Trump listed U.S.-funded programs that he considers an "appalling waste" — including "$10 million for male circumcision in Mozambique."
What to know about Lesotho, the country Trump said ‘nobody has ever heard of’
President Trump defended his humanitarian aid cuts to countries around the globe, including one nation he joked "nobody has ever heard of." Here are some facts about the African nation of Lesotho.
USAID workers return to HQ to clear their desks, as Trump dismantles the agency
Workers who served in the U.S. Agency for International Development were allowed a final and brief visit back to their offices to clear out their belongings on Thursday.
The Trump administration kills nearly all USAID programs
The Trump administration is terminating thousands of foreign assistance grants and awards, according to a court filing. The move effectively guts the six-decade-old agency.
Why Dean Karlan, chief economist of USAID, resigned on Tuesday
He was hired in 2022 so the aid agency could get 'more bang for our buck' with its projects. He tried to reach out to help in the rebuilding of the agency. On Tuesday he tendered his resignation.
Judge tells Trump administration it has less than 2 days to resume USAID funding
U.S. District Judge Amir H. Ali said officials have provided no evidence of compliance with repeated orders to unfreeze the money.
Why the good news about the mpox outbreak of 2025 isn’t really good after all
The case counts seem to be dropping. But health officials say that's because violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo makes it difficult to get good data. And now U.S. assistance is being disrupted.
Trump officials will put 4,700 USAID employees on leave and eliminate 1,600 jobs
The decision comes in the wake of a judge's ruling that such a move will not cause irreparable harm to the employees. There will be exceptions for several hundred employees in roles deemed critical.
Trump officials will not restart most foreign aid despite court order
A judge last week ruled that the freeze on foreign aid must be reversed. But Trump's USAID team responded that many contracts give them the right to halt funding.
A judge orders a temporary thaw to Trump’s foreign aid freeze. What will that mean?
He wrote that there was no explanation "why a blanket suspension of all congressionally appropriated foreign aid" is needed to review programs. But how funds will start flowing again is unclear.
This week in DOGE: Elon Musk’s role in overhauling ‘America, Inc.’
Elon Musk has emerged as a key figure in President Trump's plans to reshape the government. Here's a recap of this week with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team he leads.
Judge orders Trump administration to temporarily allow funds for foreign aid
The order allowing funds to flow again applies to existing contracts before Trump issued his Jan. 20 executive order declaring a freeze on foreign assistance.
What’s happening with the anti-HIV program PEPFAR? It depends whom you ask
The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief has been the subject of a series of presidential orders and memos that have left uncertainty about how it operates.
A judge extends the pause on Trump’s plan to put USAID workers on leave
A federal judge has ruled to continue for another week the freeze on the Trump administration's plan to put thousands of staffers for the U.S. Agency for International Development on paid leave.
How the gutting of USAID is reverberating around the world: Worry, despair, praise
Reactions to the changes in USAID run the gamut. Some leading voices — like Mexico's president — are in favor. Others fear that lives will be lost as health care programs are cut.
How conspiracy theories about Politico led Trump to cancel subscriptions
Less than 24 hours after misleading claims started circulating that tied Politico to USAID, the White House vowed to end subscriptions for the insider news outlet's services and others.
Judge pauses Trump order to put USAID employees on administrative leave
The case, brought by the American Foreign Service Association and the American Federation of Government Employees was intended to block the administration's efforts to dismantle USAID.
