January 2025, Washington, D.C. – The Truman National Security Project firmly opposes the Administration’s decision to place dedicated career officials of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on administrative leave. We categorically condemn the choice to freeze all foreign aid, which is a vital component of our national security strategy.
Our National Security Architecture is built upon four foundational pillars: defense, diplomacy, development, and democracy. Each of these elements is essential to ensuring the safety and security of Americans both at home and abroad.
Foreign assistance programs can and should be reformed to increase efficiency, strengthen results-based approaches, and deepen partnerships with local organizations. However, the Administration's current approach will set back decades of progress in humanitarian assistance and development, diminish American global leadership, jeopardize peace and security, and disrupt critical supply chains that impact U.S. economic prosperity.
Development is an indispensable tool in our national security arsenal. Although it represents a mere fraction of the national security budget—less than half a percent—and an even smaller share of the overall U.S. budget, the impact of development funding is profound. USAID drives crucial programs that tackle critical global threats such as food insecurity, political instability, and efforts to combat infectious diseases and poverty. The benefits of these initiatives resonate globally but ultimately serve to enhance the safety of Americans.
If the order to freeze USAID funding remains in place, it opens the door to the adversaries of democracy to expand global influence, leading to significant long-term repercussions for political stability worldwide and our economic security here at home.
Moreover, targeting career public servants who dedicate their lives to patriotic service undermines the stability of our government institutions. These career professionals possess decades of institutional knowledge and expertise in managing complex operations that advance
U.S. interests globally. Such actions create a climate of fear that can lead to substantial unrest and instability in society, jeopardizing the essential functioning of our government.
Foreign aid is not charity. This stoppage endangers long-standing partnerships around the world. It signals to our allies that America cannot be trusted to honor its commitments, devastating relationships built over decades of cooperation. The damage to America's credibility and moral leadership will have lasting consequences beyond the immediate national security and human impact.
We condemn the administration’s actions to freeze USAID funding and ask the Congress to take immediate, bipartisan action to rectify this situation. U.S. national security relies on international aid and development to help stabilize democratic institutions around the world and to ensure global peace and security.
The Truman National Security Project unites veteran, frontline civilian, political, and policy leaders to develop and advance strong, smart, and principled solutions to America's global challenges.
Contact Information:
Truman National Security Project
Angelic Young
press@trumanproject.org
