🇺🇸 Trump Administration Restores Foreign Aid, But Leaves Out Afghanistan and Yemen
By Trendy Daily News | April 9, 2025
The Trump administration has rolled back some of its controversial aid cuts by restoring several emergency food programs — but aid to Afghanistan and Yemen is still off the table.
🚨 What Happened?
Earlier this year, over $1.3 billion in U.S. foreign aid was cut, impacting countries like Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Afghanistan, and Yemen. The decision sparked outrage from humanitarian groups and lawmakers who warned that millions would be left without food, healthcare, or shelter.
Now, under mounting pressure from inside and outside the government, the administration has reversed course — at least partially.
✅ What’s Being Restored?
At least six emergency food programs run by the World Food Programme (WFP) have been reinstated in places like:
- Lebanon
- Syria
- Somalia
- Jordan
- Iraq
- Ecuador
Also, four migration support programs in the Pacific region are back on track.
🚫 Still Blocked: Afghanistan and Yemen
Despite these moves, aid to Afghanistan and Yemen remains suspended. The reason? The administration says there’s a risk that the aid could end up helping militant groups like the Taliban or Houthi rebels.
But critics say this policy is doing more harm than good — especially since millions of civilians are stuck in conflict zones and rely on U.S. aid to survive.
🩺 Human Cost
In Afghanistan, more than 200 health clinics shut down after U.S. aid was cut. As a result, 1.84 million people lost access to basic healthcare, with measles, polio, and malaria outbreaks getting worse.
In Yemen, where war and famine have created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, the aid freeze pushed even more families into extreme hunger.
🗣️ What Critics Say
Humanitarian groups and members of Congress are blasting the administration’s foreign aid strategy, calling it chaotic and irresponsible.
They argue that:
- The sudden cuts endangered lives
- The restoration effort is too limited
- Rebuilding trust in U.S. aid programs will take time
Meanwhile, some insiders say the back-and-forth reflects power struggles within the Trump administration — particularly at USAID, the agency overseeing global development and disaster response.
🧭 What’s Next?
Restoring some aid is a step in the right direction, but questions remain about the long-term strategy — and how the U.S. plans to help civilians trapped in conflict zones.
For now, aid is flowing again in parts of the world. But for people in Afghanistan and Yemen, help is still out of reach.
