How Trump’s USAID Freeze Threatens Global Democracy

President Donald Trump is a disrupter-in-chief. His political rise is inextricably linked to his willingness to break with American norms. Yet his decision to abruptly freeze nearly $72 billion in U.S. foreign aid has still managed to send shockwaves at home and abroad—because of just how much it would undermine American interests and global stability.

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The decision marks a dangerous retreat from America’s defense of freedom around the world.

USAID was established by President John F. Kennedy and the National Endowment for Democracy was a product of Ronald Reagan’s vision to foster global democracy. Together, they have defended countless in the face of abhorrent human rights abuses, and served as a bulwark against corruption and authoritarian creep. USAID, with its partners in civil society, have been first defenders of U.S. interests for over 60 years. It provides as much as 40% of global aid and the sudden funding freeze creates a power vacuum that enemies—including China, Russia, and Iran—will step in to fill. As Kennedy once said: “[U.S. aid cuts] would be disastrous and, in the long run, more expensive. Our own security would be endangered and our prosperity imperiled.”

Read More: Inside the Chaos, Confusion, and Heartbreak of Trump’s Foreign-Aid Freeze

In mere days, the funding freeze has achieved what the Presidents of Russia and Belarus have desired for several decades: taking an axe to the remnants of independent media in the former Soviet countries. Meduza, which provided independent coverage on topics censored by the Putin regime, now faces an uncertain future. Tellingly, Moscow praised Trump’s move. In Ukraine, USAID backed the Anti-Corruption Action Center—which exposes oligarchic corruption. In Southeast Asia, the program supports the Freedom Collaborative, which works to rescue victims of human trafficking from cyber scam compounds that defraud millions of dollars from U.S. citizens each year. China Labor Watch, supported by NED, combats the forced labor of Chinese workers by carrying out investigations, supporting victims of trafficking, and advancing the enforcement of laws. Gutting the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)—a George W. Bush initiative—also endangers millions of lives across Africa.

These initiatives and countless others are now in peril. President Jimmy Carter once declared that “every American embassy should be looked upon as a haven for those who suffer from human rights abuse.” Indeed, the U.S. Government gave literal shelter to Cardinal József Mindszenty, who opposed the communist dictatorship in Hungary, between 1956 to 1971.

As a Hungarian-American, I deeply honor the legacy of the 1956 revolution, which lasted 12 days before Soviet troops crushed it. Supporting democracy is personal to me. My family and friends back home have spent over a decade living with the consequences of democratic backsliding. Me and my organization, Action for Democracy, have even been targeted by the pro-Putin premiership of Viktor Orbán. I thought I had found a safe haven in America—where the defense of democracy is a national value that binds us all.

We must carry the torch forward. The U.S. is a nation of immigrants uniquely qualified to support global democracy. By activating our diaspora communities and channeling their energy, knowledge, and resources, we can persist even when the federal government wavers. Cities, states, private citizens, and civil society groups must now step up and step in. We should all choose and adopt a cause we support abroad, in addition to those who already donate at home.

Read More: Foreign Aid Is Retreating. The Church Must Not

The rest of the world has a duty, too. Democracies must mobilize their own resources on a new scale. The European Endowment for Democracy should be strengthened and its mission made global. The U.K. has a unique chance to leverage its Britain Reconnected strategy. Canada should double down on its Pro-Dem Fund and its leading role in the Media Freedom Coalition. South Africa should revitalize the African Renaissance and International Cooperation Fund to further its vision of a democratic, conflict-free continent. Brazil should leverage its position as the largest democracy in South America to fill in the gap left by the U.S.’s retreat. Brazil and South Africa, as democratic members of BRICS, should exploit their weight in the organization to counteract the potentially corrosive efforts of authoritarian members.

We have no time to waste. The need for humanitarian aid is a moral and strategic imperative to keep America free and safe—and the hope for a more democratic world alive.

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