Since entering office in January 2025, President Trump has issued more than 70 executive orders reshaping U.S. foreign aid. In one sweeping move, the “Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid” directive ordered immediate suspension of thousands of USAID projects across Africa. Staff were told to cease operations and refrain from incurring new costs. Only a temporary waiver preserved some emergency food and humanitarian assistance, while most development programs were halted abruptly.
By mid‑2025, over 5,300 USAID-backed initiatives—amounting to $75 billion—had been terminated. USAID staffing was slashed, and 90 percent of international contracts and grants were cancelled. Funding freezes across more than 200 countries affected nearly 10,000 personnel globally. Africa, which received around $12 billion in U.S. development aid in 2024, was hit hardest.
The Impact On Health And Social Systems
The disruption has triggered cascading effects on health systems. In South Africa alone, the collapse of U.S.-supported HIV/AIDS programs could result in half a million additional deaths over the next decade, according to the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation. CDC projections suggest up to 4 million avoidable deaths across Africa from treatable diseases. In nations such as Somalia, South Sudan, and Malawi, U.S. health aid once comprised more than double their national health budgets. In Uganda, Liberia, and Mozambique, this support exceeded 80 percent of total health spending.
The loss of immunization drives, maternal healthcare, and emergency preparedness is not just a setback—it undermines entire social safety nets and erodes confidence in government structures.
Poverty, Instability, And The Terrorism Nexus
Worsening Economic Hardship
Economic modeling by the University of Denver forecasts that 5.7 million Africans will descend below the $2.15-per-day poverty threshold within a year if the aid cuts continue unabated. By 2030, an estimated 19 million more could be in extreme poverty and the region’s GDP might be $4.6 billion smaller than projected. Refugee and internally displaced populations will suffer disproportionately; U.S. humanitarian aid has long been the core response mechanism in crisis zones.
Seeds Of Extremist Recruitment
Studies with scientific evidence continuously associate poverty and unemployment, as well as poor governance with the indoctrination of extremist groups. The Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin and the Horn of Africa are already stretched. As the U.S. lowers its investment significantly in agriculture, education, and economic development, avenues toward peace and prospects of success are quickly becoming weaker.
Michael Langley, a general in charge of the U.S. Africa Command has cautioned that Sahel is
“The epicenter of terrorism globally.”
He warned that in the event extremist groups proliferate along the West African coast, they will also increase the level of smuggling and trafficking activities in the region-which directly endangers ascertaining the security of the U.S as well as the rest of the world.
Health, Governance, And The Erosion Of Trust
The Collapse of Medical Supply Chains
The U.S.-supported Global Health Supply Chain – Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC‑PSM) project has been a lifeline for 73 African nations. In 2024 alone, it distributed $1.15 billion in medical commodities, targeting HIV (71 percent), malaria (20 percent), and maternal-child health (1.5 percent). With funding cut, those gains are rapidly unraveling.
The Lancet has projected that by 2030, Trump-era aid cuts could cause 14 million preventable deaths in Africa—including 700,000 child fatalities annually. These human tragedies also degrade trust in Western partnerships and further destabilize fragile states.
Civil Society And Democratic Protections
Beyond health, U.S. aid has been pivotal in strengthening governance, combating corruption, and supporting civic engagement. Many of these initiatives have now been shut down. As oversight systems weaken, African citizens may become more susceptible to authoritarian governance and extremist ideologies. The withdrawal of democratic support acts like an accelerant to existing political grievances.
Geopolitical Vacuum And Global Power Plays
Filling The Void: China And Russia
While the U.S. retreats, China and Russia have stepped forward as major players. Their aid without governance conditions—or democratic prerequisites—may fill immediate gaps but undercut the long-term stability needed to counter terrorism. Analysts fear this will deepen authoritarianism, hampering civilian control over security forces and weakening checks on extremist infiltration.
African Resilience And Global Partnerships
African governments are responding with measures to sustain themselves. Some are overhauling tax systems and enhancing domestic funding. Others are seeking partnerships with new donors. But U.S. assistance has accounted for almost 26 percent of all aid—so no single alternative can replace it quickly. Continual warnings from humanitarian groups stress that reform must not mean retreat.
Voices In 2025: A Warning From The Field
This person has spoken on the topic in an interview with Al Jazeera, emphasizing that
“The abrupt withdrawal of U.S. aid is a gift to extremist recruiters. Without hope, jobs, or health care, millions of young Africans will be left with few alternatives.”
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS NOT JOKING AROUND.
— Sir Cabonena Alfred (@Lebona_cabonena) February 2, 2025
South Africa will not get back the AID.
South Africa will be kicked out of AGOA.
South Africa will be sanctioned, particularly the ANC comrades will be placed on terror list. pic.twitter.com/eSgT0XbISw
Their remarks underline the tangible consequences of aid cuts—not as abstract policy decisions, but as catalyst events for instability and violence.
A Strategy Stripped To Security Alone
Redefining U.S. Priorities
Trump’s current Africa policy places primary emphasis on military cooperation and burden-sharing. Development aid has been relegated to the margins. This marks a departure from previous strategies that connected security to local institutions and social resilience.
The Risks Of Narrow Focus
By treating terrorism as a military problem alone, the administration risks neglecting foundational issues. Extremism thrives where economic despair meets weakened governance. Without rebuilding those structures, military gains may prove ephemeral.
The decision to slash U.S. aid carries consequences far beyond its original budgetary intent. With African governments responding, new global players in the field and the long-term threat to be when short-term fiscal allotments are likely to change into long-term international insecurity. Whether Washington was able to strike the right balance to its strategy remains yet to be seen; whether the decisions made in 2025 can be described as far-reaching consequences of poverty, disease and radicalization is unclear.
