News Updates: Trump’s USA and the Future of Development Cooperation

Since Donald Trump took office as US President, developments in global health and development cooperation have gained rapid momentum. Our news ticker keeps you updated on the latest news and developments.

22 April 2025

New Targets for the U.S. Government: From Harvard to NGOs

The next target of the U.S. President now appears to be NGOs. Donald Trump has announced plans to increase financial pressure on these organisations, including reviewing their tax exemptions. This was reported by German newspaper Handelsblatt. Reactions came swiftly. “It is a sad day in this country when organisations that provide vital services to their communities are attacked by their own government,” said a spokesperson from Americans Against Government Censorship, an organisation that opposes government interference and censorship. Earlier, the administration had also targeted law firms it believes are working against the president. Meanwhile, Harvard University has found itself in open conflict with Trump after the government announced plans to freeze federal funding, citing what it claims are inadequate efforts to combat antisemitism on campus. According to German news outlet ZDF, Harvard now plans to take legal action.

9 April 2025

The U.S. State Department Restarts Aid Programs Previously Put on Hold

A grim back-and-forth, especially for those affected – but at least there is a glimmer of hope: The U.S. State Department has reinstated several foreign aid programs that had apparently been halted “by mistake,” according to the Associated Press. “There were a few programs that were cut in other countries that were not meant to be cut, that have been rolled back and put into place,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters. The programs in question involve emergency aid projects run by the UN World Food Programme in 14 low-income countries. Some of the cuts have now been reversed. According to the news agency Reuters, the acting head of the U.S. development agency USAID instructed staff in an internal email to resume cooperation with the World Food Programme in Lebanon, Syria, Somalia, Jordan, Iraq, and Ecuador—after it had previously been suspended.

31 March 2025

Rubio Announces USAID Shutdown on July 1

Now, it seems to be final: According to tagesschau.de and other media, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced the complete abolition of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Rubio set July 1 of this year as the date for the agency’s dissolution, with some of its functions being transferred to the State Department. Most of USAID’s remaining staff will be laid off. Hundreds of employees have already been dismissed, and many programmes have been cut. The U.S. was by far the largest source of funding for global development cooperation, and USAID was one of the largest organisations of its kind.

27 March 2025

The U.S. Cutback List Keeps Growing: Gavi Vaccine Alliance at Risk

According to a report by Spiegel Online, the U.S. government is now planning to end its support for the Vaccine Alliance Gavi. The report, citing a document from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), suggests that this decision is part of a broader wave of funding cuts. Gavi is a public-private partnership dedicated to protecting people—especially in the Global South—from preventable diseases through vaccinations. The organization helps expand national immunization programs, introduce new vaccines, and ensure sustainable funding for vaccination campaigns (Source: BMZ.de). Gavi states that it vaccinates more than half of the world’s children and plays a crucial role in strengthening global immunization efforts. In an initial response on X, Gavi described U.S. support as “vital,” emphasizing its 25-year partnership with the United States. “We hope that this partnership can continue,” the organization stated. At this point, however, that future appears increasingly uncertain.

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A new study published in the journal The Lancet HIV now provides precise figures for the presumed impact of cuts in development cooperation in relation to HIV and AIDS. According to the study, by 2030, the lack of funding could result in more than ten million additional HIV infections and 2.9 million deaths. UNAIDS released an estimate, warning that the termination of aid could result in up to six million additional deaths. UNAIDS also noted that other countries have yet to take action to address the crisis and offer support.

25 March 2025

Double Fact-Check: USAID Targeted by Fake News

“Fake news”—a phrase endlessly repeated in the Trump era. The US development agency USAID and its work have also been the subject of the most absurd rumours and theories. But what’s true, and what’s pure fiction about this agency, which has been at the centre of media coverage for weeks? Time for a fact-check—actually, make that two. One comes from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), an independent California-based organisation researching health and health policy. The other is from tagesschau.de, which focuses specifically on debunking false claims circulating online and beyond.

24 March 2025

Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands Ask: Where Have Our Millions Gone?

After the shutdown of USAID, European partners are demanding millions back that they had previously contributed for joint projects. The Norwegian and Swedish development cooperation agencies, along with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told the Associated Press that the $15 million they had provided has been parked at USAID for months, with no clear explanation of what has happened to it. This was reported by Welt and Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) on their websites.

After the massive cuts at USAID by Elon Musk’s so-called efficiency agency, DOGE, the authorities asked whether the funds would still be used as planned or refunded. However, they never received a response. “This is a problem for us, especially because we want our partner organizations to be compensated for the work they’ve put into the programs,” a spokeswoman for the Swedish Government Agency for International Development Cooperation told RND.

20 March 2025

US Judge Blocks DOGE: USAID Shutdown “Unconstitutional”

A glimmer of hope after all the bad news in recent days: US District Judge Theodore Chuang has instructed the notorious “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) to reverse the shutdown of USAID – at least partially. In a 68-page ruling on his injunction, the judge wrote that the rapid dismantling of the agency likely violates the Constitution in several ways. The actions not only harm the complainants but also the public interest, he stated, “because they strip elected representatives in Congress of their constitutional authority to decide whether, when, and how an agency created by Congress should be closed.” Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung quotes Chuang on its website. The judge ordered DOGE to restore the email and system access for all USAID employees and contractors within the next seven days and to resume payments, including for employees on leave. The lawsuit was filed by over two dozen USAID staff members.

17 March 2025

USAID Employees Ordered to Shred Documents 

The Trump administration’s actions against the US Agency for International Development (USAID) seem to be taking increasingly bizarre turns. According to Frankfurter Rundschau, USAID employees have been instructed to destroy internal documents. This directive comes from the agency itself. An email obtained by the Washington Post reveals that a senior USAID official instructed staff to destroy or burn documents at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, including records related to employees and materials stored in secure safes.

Representative Gregory W. Meeks (New York), the leading Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, stated that the government seems to be disregarding the Federal Records Act, which regulates the handling of government documents and other materials. “The arbitrary shredding and burning of USAID documents and personnel files appears to be a convenient way to dispose of evidence of misconduct when attempting to illegally dissolve the agency,” Meeks said in a statement.

14 March 2025

Pressure on the LGBTQ+ Community Grows – Fueled by Billions from the U.S.

Not only are development cooperation and humanitarian aid under immense pressure following Donald Trump’s re-election as U.S. President, but the situation for the LGBTQ+ community—especially in countries like Uganda—is also worsening. Uganda already enforces some of the world’s most restrictive anti-LGBTQ+ laws, heavily influenced by evangelical Christian groups from the U.S. These groups have supported local campaigns for years, and with Trump’s second term, their influence is expected to grow further—especially given their close ties to him.

According to an investigation by the portal Open Democracy, more than 20 Christian groups from the U.S. invested at least $54 million in African countries between 2007 and 2020, Tagesschau reports. Nearly half of that funding went to Uganda. To influence Ugandan lawmakers, American evangelicals have even flown members of parliament and politicians to the U.S. to connect them with their evangelical base there.

USAID Loses 83 Percent of Its Projects

Meanwhile, the numbers coming out of Washington have become clearer—and more alarming. The U.S. is set to discontinue 83 percent of its international development aid projects under USAID, zeit.de reports. Of the roughly 6,200 original projects, only about 1,000 will continue—now under the supervision of the State Department.

13 March 2025

What Are the Consequences of USAID Cuts? A Look at Uganda

What do all these big numbers from recent weeks actually mean? How will the cuts to U.S. funding for development cooperation and humanitarian aid impact people on the ground? We took a closer look in Uganda, one of the countries where we, as the Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung (DSW), implement projects with our partner organisation Action 4 Health. The outlook is alarming—especially when it comes to HIV/AIDS. HIV prevention in Uganda is facing a severe setback, as essential awareness campaigns that educate young people about HIV are now at risk of being shut down.

Limited Access to ART

Currently, more than 1.2 million people in Uganda rely on ART (antiretroviral therapy), the majority of which was funded by USAID. ART helps suppress the replication of HIV in the body, allowing those affected to lead healthier lives. However, with funding cuts, access to this life-saving medication has become extremely difficult for tens of thousands of people, putting their health—and lives—at serious risk.

Patients Share Medications – With Serious Consequences

The result? Improvisation. Many patients are now forced to ration their medication, which reduces its effectiveness and increases the risk of drug resistance. Some have even started sharing their medications, further endangering their treatment outcomes. And the most vulnerable will suffer the most—newborns. With fewer resources for prevention and education, the risk of HIV transmission to newborns in Uganda is set to rise significantly.

6 March 2025

U.S. No Longer Committed to UN SDGs

This move hardly comes as a surprise: The UN’s 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are no longer a priority for the new U.S. administration. “President Trump has made a long-overdue course correction regarding the gender and climate ideology embedded in the SDGs,” a senior U.S. delegation official stated on Tuesday before the UN General Assembly. “The United States government rejects and explicitly condemns the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs,” the official added. Adopted in 2016, the 2030 Agenda outlines 17 goals for sustainable development, including the fight against poverty, hunger, health disparities, and gender inequality. It aims to promote sustainable economic, environmental, and social progress worldwide.

For more details on the SDGs and their implementation, check out this interview.

5 March 2025

Fight Against NTDs at Risk – Scientists Sound the Alarm

The U.S. government’s policy shift threatens not only humanitarian aid and development cooperation but also scientific progress. The German Network against Neglected Tropical Diseases (DNTDs) has expressed deep concern over the abrupt halt of USAID funding for programs combating these diseases. Currently, life-saving treatments in 20 countries are at risk, while research into new drugs, vaccines, diagnostics, and interventions is being further scaled back. Clinical trials have also been abruptly halted, jeopardizing progress in the fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).

“Devastating Consequences”

“The cessation of funding from USAID would have devastating consequences for the fight against NTDs,” warns Prof. Dr. Achim Hörauf in a statement on the network’s website. Hörauf, spokesperson for the German Network against Neglected Tropical Diseases (DNTDs) and director of the Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology at the University Hospital Bonn, continued: “Without this support, setbacks in treatment and prevention are imminent, which could lead to the resurgence of preventable diseases. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has shown us: every year we fail to carry out these programs sets us back by several years.”

U.S. Funding Played a Central Role – Until Now

The network is calling on the international community to close the funding gaps and take long-term measures to ensure the sustainability of NTD programs. Hörauf emphasizes that it is unacceptable for millions of people to lose access to life-saving treatments. U.S. funding has played a central role in the fight against NTDs—particularly in the areas of medication provision, research, and coordination with local health systems. According to DNTDs, U.S. programs have implemented over 3.3 billion treatments worldwide, protecting millions of people from tropical diseases.

3 March 2025

The Crusade Continues: U.S. Cuts Funding for UNFPA and UNAIDS

The bad news keeps pouring in—and it’s only getting worse. Just days after the first reports of frozen funds for USAID aid programs, President Donald Trump’s administration has completely halted funding for several key health initiatives. Among the programs affected are the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), a close partner of Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung (DSW), and the UNAIDS HIV/AIDS program. The reasoning behind these cuts is familiar: decisions were made “in the interest of the U.S. government” and “due to national interests,” according to The Guardian.

“So Much Good Achieved”

The implications of this decision are enormous. The healthcare of millions of women and girls, along with the global fight against HIV, is at risk. Until now, the U.S. government has provided two-thirds of the total international funding for HIV prevention in low- and middle-income countries. Unsurprisingly, the first reactions have been deeply shocked. Natalia Kanem, Director of UNFPA, said in a statement: “In more than five decades of close collaboration with the U.S., one of our founding partners, we have achieved so much good. This devastating decision will force thousands of clinics to shut down.”

Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS, told The Guardian: “Any cuts severely disrupt life-saving prevention programs, increasing the risk of new infections and reversing progress in the fight against AIDS.” With the loss of U.S. aid, millions of women worldwide are at risk of losing access to contraception, prenatal care, and safe childbirth services. The consequences are clear: unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions will rise, and maternal mortality will increase.

Kanem Highlights the Long-Term Benefits of Investment

The impact of U.S. funding—and its sudden disappearance—is underscored by a statement from the Guttmacher Institute. “For the last nine years, Congress has consistently appropriated $607.5 million annually in foreign aid for family planning, including $32.5 million for UNFPA.” These funds were projected to provide modern contraception to about 47.6 million women and girls by 2025. It is all the more tragic that these plans are now a thing of the past. Natalia Kanem (UNFPA) also points to the long-term consequences of the Trump administration’s devastating decision: “Countless studies show that investments in voluntary family planning and reproductive health lead to economic returns in the hundreds of billions when girls continue their education and women advance in the workforce. This, in turn, contributes to peace and prosperity, which people in the United States and around the world rely on.”

21 February 2025

Trump’s Withheld Aid

President Donald Trump’s decision to suspend USAID programs for humanitarian aid and international development will cost lives—many lives. While this is undoubtedly the worst consequence, it is far from the only one. These measures are destroying established structures, jeopardizing medical care, and even threatening entire health systems. A closer look at sub-Saharan Africa—where the funding will be most impacted—reveals the devastating effects.

Until now, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has funded humanitarian projects and aid programs in around 120 countries, with an annual budget of approximately 40 billion dollars, primarily targeting the world’s poorest regions, including sub-Saharan Africa. “According to UNAIDS, the fight against HIV in Ethiopia is among the hardest hit by the funding cuts,” reports Esayas Gebre-Meskel from DSW Ethiopia, who fears that Washington’s actions will lead to a “major health crisis” in his home country. “About 94 percent of people living with HIV who are currently receiving treatment will likely lose access to care in the near future without USAID funding,” Gebre-Meskel explains. He adds that, according to UNAIDS, approximately 503,000 people in Ethiopia rely on medication funded by USAID.

Uncertainty and fear are widespread

The situation in Uganda is equally dire, reports a staff member from the DSW partner organisation Action4Health. “HIV patients are now receiving a three- to six-month supply of medication to bridge the gap while USAID-funded programs are being halted,” she explains. Previously, patients received monthly treatment. There is widespread uncertainty, even among staff and healthcare workers. “At all USAID-funded organisations, employees have been placed on leave for three months. This means many have lost their livelihoods and are now relying on other sources of income,” she continues. Funding for healthcare facilities is also at risk.

In neighboring Kenya, it is reported that an estimated 40,000 jobs are directly affected. DSW board member Angela Bähr, currently in Kenya, describes a very precarious situation: “Many healthcare workers have already been laid off due to the termination of USAID funding. Just last week, DSW, in partnership with Youth for a Sustainable World, opened a youth health center in Nakuru, in the southwest of the country. Already, 14 staff members had to be let go,” says Bähr.

“People don’t have the luxury of time.”

Locals are doing their best to improvise, mainly with the support of the UN. Organizations like UNFPA are trying to assist the affected projects and facilities as much as they can, with reports coming in from Ethiopia. However, this is far from a reassuring outlook, not just because the situation is expected to persist without U.S. financial support, but also because the UN agency itself faces the threat of losing funding from the U.S.

The freezing of U.S. development aid is also affecting water supply efforts and is expected to worsen hunger crises. In Ethiopia, for the first time in its 40-year history, the USAID-funded hunger relief program has been suspended in the drought-prone Gambella region, reports DSW staff member Gebre-Meskel.

The new U.S. administration claims that its rigorous approach aims to reduce the size of the federal government—at least, that is the official narrative. In early February, a large portion of USAID’s staff was put on leave, and as of February 24, following legal disputes, it has been confirmed that this decision stands. However, the final decision regarding the halt in financial aid and how to proceed remains unresolved. This causes delays and a loss of time, which is particularly detrimental to those who are most affected. “We urgently need transition solutions for people living with AIDS and preventive programs, especially for the youth. Alternative internal and external solutions will take time—but the people who rely on treatment do not have that time,” says Angela Bähr, Executive Director of DSW.

The United States has historically been the largest donor of international humanitarian aid, contributing around 40 percent of the global budget. USAID was established on November 3, 1961, by President John F. Kennedy.