US state department to block all the funding to “woke programs“, including gender development initiatives, sex education and pro-abortion programs, stating that such initiatives do not contribute to making America “stronger, safer, or more prosperous.”
The state department issued an official statement emphasising that, “Americans are hardworking and generous people, who have sacrificed their blood and treasure to help their fellow man across the globe. But no foreign nation is entitled to those benefits, and no foreign aid program is above scrutiny.”
“The previously announced 90-day pause and review of US foreign aid is already paying dividends to our country and our people. We are rooting out waste. We are blocking woke programs. And we are exposing activities that run contrary to our national interests. None of this would be possible if these programs remained on autopilot,” it added.
The statement further asserted that this temporary suspension is necessary for conducting a thorough review and “rooting out waste”.
“Every dollar we spend, every program we fund, and every policy we pursue must make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous. And that is exactly what we are doing right now – prioritizing America’s core national interests one dollar at a time,” the official statement read.
The pause will suspend US aid for various programs, including condoms (and other contraceptive services) in Gaza, climate justice marketing services in Gabon, clean energy programs for women in Fiji, support for gender development programs, family planning throughout Latin America, sex education and pro-abortion programs for young girls globally, and much more.
President Donald Trump, on Monday, implemented a 90-day freeze on all foreign aid, with key exceptions such as “emergency food assistance.”
The administration outlined a process for securing additional exemptions, with requests being reviewed and, when necessary, approved within hours.
According to the state department, the Secretary approved a broad waiver on Tuesday for humanitarian aid, which is defined as “life-saving medicine, medical services, food, shelter, and subsistence assistance, as well as supplies and reasonable administrative costs as necessary to deliver such assistance.”
The department noted that US foreign aid amounts to approximately $40 billion annually. “That is more than the GDP of multiple US states and accounts for four out of every 10 dollars in global humanitarian aid. Americans deserve transparency and accountability for every dollar we spend, especially when it is spent abroad instead of at home,” the US state department added.
