President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order that called for a 90-day pause on new foreign-aid programs for efficiency and "consistency with U.S. foreign policy." The order got less attention than some of the others he signed that day but may have much more far-reaching effects.

Since the inauguration, the incoming Administration has imposed spending freezes and stop-work orders on a wide swath of American foreign-aid enterprises. Funding for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)—which,

President Trump’s order to halt most foreign aid has intensified humanitarian crises and raised questions about the United States’ reliability as a global leader.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio blamed aid recipients for "deliberately sabotaging it" as he was accused of "an alarming lack of compassion."

The lawsuit targets President Donald Trump, the State Department, and the Treasury Department, claiming that Trump's executive orders—beginning with a foreign aid freeze on January 20—have crippled USAID operations worldwide.

The Trump administration is recalling USAID staff from overseas, placing most on leave as part of a broader foreign aid freeze. The move effectively dismantles the agency's global presence and has sparked backlash from diplomatic and humanitarian groups.

When President Trump froze foreign assistance, he argued the drastic step was needed to eliminate waste and block what he derides as “woke” spending. Experts say the suspension has another, far more serious consequence: emboldening authoritarian strongmen.

Trump's overhaul of U.S. foreign assistance has led to chaos in the aid and development field, leaving hundreds of contractors in a severe financial crunch with some already having to lay off staff and others facing millions of dollars in unpaid invoices.