Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid
The order immediately halts all new U.S. foreign development assistance disbursements and directs every responsible federal agency to review each program within 90 days to determine whether it is consistent with the President's foreign policy.
It represents a sweeping, self-executing freeze on U.S. foreign aid flows — reaching NGOs, international organizations, and contractors worldwide — with a 90-day window for the Secretary of State and agency heads to decide which programs survive, are modified, or are ended.
What this order does
What it orders
The order directs all department and agency heads responsible for foreign development assistance to immediately pause new obligations and disbursements of aid funds to foreign countries, implementing non-governmental organizations, international organizations, and contractors. The Office of Management and Budget is tasked with enforcing the pause through its apportionment authority. Each responsible agency head must then conduct a program-by-program review under guidelines set by the Secretary of State, in consultation with the OMB Director.
Within 90 days, agency heads must decide — with the Secretary of State's concurrence — whether each program is continued, modified, or terminated. A paused program may resume before the 90-day window closes if it is reviewed and the Secretary of State (or a designee) approves it. The Secretary of State may also waive the pause for specific programs. Any new foreign assistance programs must receive prior approval from the Secretary of State in consultation with OMB.
Who it affects
All foreign governments currently receiving U.S. development assistance, non-governmental organizations and international organizations implementing U.S.-funded programs, and federal contractors engaged in foreign aid work. Federal departments and agencies with foreign assistance portfolios — most prominently the State Department and USAID — face immediate operational and administrative requirements.
Why it matters
Billions of dollars in foreign development funding stop flowing the moment the order is signed, cutting off active programs — including humanitarian and health initiatives — until agencies complete reviews. NGOs, contractors, and recipient countries may face immediate funding gaps, and some programs may be permanently ended based on review outcomes.
What must happen and when
How the order is supposed to work
The pause is self-executing and enforced by OMB's apportionment authority — agencies cannot obligate or disburse foreign development funds without clearing the review process. The Secretary of State sets review guidelines; agency heads conduct the reviews and propose outcomes; final continuation, modification, or termination decisions require the Secretary of State's concurrence and OMB consultation. The Secretary retains a waiver power to exempt specific programs from the pause. Any program can resume early with Secretary of State approval before the 90-day clock expires.
Actions and deadlines
- Immediately pause all new obligations and disbursements of foreign development assistance funds
- Conduct program-by-program reviews of all foreign assistance programs for efficiency and policy consistency
- Make determinations to continue, modify, or cease each foreign assistance program based on review results