The Trump administration has locked US Agency for International Development (USAID) workers out of their headquarters as it moved to shut the agency, which distributes billions of dollars of humanitarian aid around the world. USAID has been targeted for closure by billionaire Elon Musk, who has been tasked by Trump with downsizing the federal government.
Available for comment: Dr Nicholas Ferns, School of Philosophical, Historical and International Studies (SOPHIS)
Contact: +61 0416 028 594 or [email protected]
The following can be attributed to Dr Ferns:
“Foreign aid is an easy target for cost cutting. It has no domestic constituency, and its visible benefits can take many years to become evident.
“What’s happened isn’t a huge surprise, given Donald Trump’s opposition to foreign aid during his first term.
“It is uncertain what effect Trump’s move will have on aid programs in the Pacific, where the US has spent over $3bn in the past decade. It is possible that this could place more pressure on Australia to contribute more to aid programs in the region.
“AusAID went through this when incorporated into the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in 2013 and despite significant teething problems associated with staff turnover, has met many of the government’s objectives relating to aid and development in the Pacific region.”
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