The Terrible Map

By now, many of you have already seen the embarrassing map Department of State officials presented at the 2026 International AIDS Conference, news broken by Emily Bass. And if you haven’t, please take a look.

To End a Plague ... Again

The US State Department Redraws the Map of Africa at the AIDS2026 Conference

A senior US State Department official displayed a map of Africa that was completely wrong before high-level officials from African nations, including some whose countries had been mislabelled. The map mishap occurred during a presentation at “Transforming health assistance: Implementing U.S. government MOUs for sustainable HIV programs,” a pre-conferenc…

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a month ago · 82 likes · 26 comments · Emily Bass

What I immediately thought of when I saw this was - bureaucracy, a government run day to day by non-political civil servant experts. I worked in government long enough to know that we didn’t put out a report or a memo or a slide deck before everyone you could possibly think of had eyes on it and provided their clearance, i.e. approval. You needed the technical experts, the policy experts, the financial gurus, the lawyers, and more. We didn’t have this elaborate process to slow things down and complicate the process - although that was an unfortunate side effect. We did this to ensure accuracy. The fact that someone could add a side like that last minute without approval is shocking. And the fact that we have State Department officials who wouldn’t see this map and immediately know there were errors is frightening. Is this the meritocracy we were promised?

The US is Not (Really) the Largest Provider of Aid

In June, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated (not for the first time) in a House Subcommittee hearing, that the United States is the largest provider of aid. I think that ignores a lot of nuance! Let’s look at the numbers.

At $28.3B in 2025, the United States did provide the largest amount of aid.1 Rubio also said we are the largest provider “by far. Like, there isn’t a close second.” That’s debatable, as I would argue that Germany at $26.2B is certainly a close second. In this graph, I included countries providing the largest amount of aid, but I also included the Gates Foundation. One refrain that often comes out when talking about aid, both foreign and domestic, is that maybe it’s not really the role of the government, but should be private donors instead. Gates is the largest private foundation in the world focused on foreign aid. And yet, it provides only about 1/6th of the funds that the U.S government did. And if you combine the top 5 country donors, you’re looking at just 5%. There is just no way private philanthropy can fill the gap that governments are leaving behind.

But if the question we are really interested in is who is “doing their share,” looking at just raw numbers doesn’t really tell the story.2 Secretary Rubio, Elon Musk, and others have continuously shifted blame for the deaths caused by the destruction of USAID and cancelling of grants, by saying what about Germany or the UK. Why does the United States have to shoulder the whole burden? Well ignoring the fact that you cannot just shut everything down and expect others to pick it up with no break in services, are we doing more than our fair share? Not even close.

The below graph shows foreign aid as a percent of national income. The United Nations has set a target that developed countries should devote 0.7% of their national income to foreign aid. The United States is well below that at 0.09%. Other major donors such as Germany, the UK, and France provide 4 - 5 times more. So the idea that others should be stepping up, frankly doesn’t hold water.

🚨Action You Can Take

Comedy Show for Surviving the Wood Chipper

Grassroots Comedy is at it again with a comedy show featuring Nicholas Enrich this time. It will include a book talk along with the comedy and you buy a signed copy of Nick’s book.

Buy Tickets

Donate to the USAID Employee Support Fund

The USAID Employee Support Fund is a legal defense fund supporting career federal employees who were illegally terminated. The fund gathers the resources and legal support needed to protect their rights and ensure they receive the defense they deserve.

Support the Fund

📖 What I’m Reading

Well I am continuing to read Into the Wood Chipper. I admit it’s been hard to read, reliving some of 2025’s worst moments. I’ve had to take breaks. But here is the second idea from Nick’s book that gave me pause. He starts his story the day after Trump was elected president for the second time. The senior staff have gotten together to discuss how to communicate with the bureau. They knew that morale would be low and that many in the bureau were not happy and possibly even scared that Trump would be president again.

However, one important point they decided needed to be communicated was that “our job [was] to prepare the next administration to effectively implement their priorities, whether or not we agree with them on a personal level.” This flies directly in the face of the idea of a “deep state” of civil servants that were somehow trying to undermine the political goals of the Trump administration.

Every civil servant has had to implement policy they don’t agree with. I have done it and I know Nick did it during the first Trump administration. That was our job. As Nick says just 10 pages later, “my role was to provide advice and expertise on how best to execute, but the decision was theirs.” We provide our technical guidance, political appointees make the final decision, and we carry that decision out. But, that of course does have its limits. There could be a point where we don’t just disagree with a decision, but believe that decision is illegal or immoral. In that case, you are faced with a decision - continue to carry out those immoral, illegal decisions or blow the whistle and risk losing your civil service job. The Nick on page 16 didn’t yet know that he would be having to make that choice very soon.

I am absolutely thrilled to share that this Substack has surpassed 100 subscribers (135 at the time I’m writing this)! When I started this newsletter to share important information and as an outlet for my thoughts it was a simple email to a group of friends and family. I never imagined I would be reaching people I’d never met before. I crossed the 100 mark right after I published my article in response to a Washington Post editorial.

🗞️ The Latest News

Trump Nominates Leader for PEPFAR

Over a year into the administration, the president has finally nominated a new leader for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). This, I believe, is good news. We are living in a world where the government has been unwilling and/or unable to reauthorize PEPFAR and where global health programming was cancelled without notice and without regards to the HIV patients who suddenly had no medicine and the clinical trial participants who were left with experimental medical devices inserted in their body.1 This at least shows some interest in keeping global health work going. PEPFAR is largely regarded as the most successful global health program having saved 26 million lives and enabling 7.8 million babies to be born without HIV infection.2

The nominee Johnny Figueroa, whose official title would be U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy, is not a doctor or an epidemiologist or a global health expert. He is a business person. Nevertheless, he has spent his career working in health care and pharmacy related businesses. Currently he is a senior advisor at the Agency for Veteran Affairs so he has at least a passing understanding of government affairs. I think that unfortunately, the number of global health experts who would be willing to accept a nomination from this administration is small. Therefore, my bar at least, is quite low. I am happy for a warm body.

And let’s be real, it’s not unusual to have political leadership that is not an expert in the topics their agencies and departments work on. I don’t think that necessarily means they won’t be successful. What it does means is they need to come in with a sense of humility knowing what they know and what they don’t know. It means taking time to understand the department and listening to civil servants who have worked there in some cases for decades. This is the opppostie of the tactic used by DOGE, where there were no questions asked about what they were destroying before they destroyed it. In the words of the great Ted Lasso, “Be curious, not judgmental.”

Mast Introduces Bill to Dissolve USAID

So as I’ve mentioned, USAID still exists in law. Although it has very little staff - all focused on close out - and very little money, Congress has not passed legislation to eliminate it. However, there is currently a bill before the House Foreign Relations Committee, HR-9087 originally sponsored by Rep Mast (R-FL), that would do just that. We will have to keep our eyes on that process and see what happens. It is my belief that development should operate separately from diplomacy through an independent agency and the work should not stay subsumed by the Department of State. Statutorily eliminating USAID will make it that much harder to rebuild such an agency.

🚨Action You Can Take

Alliance for American Leadership: Soft Power Summer

The Alliance for American Leadership is “a PAC working to reform global aid and restore American leadership on the world stage.” They launched just last year as the foreign aid infrastructure was being dismantled. They endorse candidates aligned with supporting foreign aid and lobby Congress. They are hosting Hill Days on June 24 and June 25. This is great way to visit Congressional offices and tell your stories and express your views on foreign aid. No special training or knowledge is needed before hand!

Sign Up for A4AL Hill Days

📖 What I’m Reading

Into the Wood Chipper

I am absolutely thrilled that my friend and former boss, Nicholas Enrich, has published a book cataloging his experience as the top global health official at USAID during its destruction. He did what bureaucrats do best and meticulously cataloged everything that happened and drafted a memo. When his firing was eminent he released that memo to the public to share. And now he’s turned his experiences turned into a New York Times bestselling book, Into the Wood Chipper: A Whistleblower’s Account of How the Trump Administration Shredded USAID. I highly recommend this book especially if you are not very familiar with how USAID and foreign aid worked. Nick does a great job of telling everything as a story and putting things is ways that make sense.

As I read through the book I want to share sections that stand out to me, because I remember an event or it brings up a feeling or idea. I did not get very far before I found something.

Nick dedicates his book to public servants. This is so powerful at a time like this. Over the last year plus, public servants and the civil service have been demonized. We have a leader in the White House Office of Management and Budget who boldly said he wanted to put federal workers “in trauma.”3 For a year now federal workers have spent every day worrying about whether they still have their job, receiving demeaning and belittling emails from leadership, and being asked to turn in their colleagues. Offices, positions, and workers have been abruptly eliminated or moved, sometimes to completely different states. And then most recently by executive order, the administration is reclassifying thousands of civil service positions into political positions. This is what you may have first heard of when it first called Schedule F. This order means that thousands of employees will become at-will and lose their employment protections.

Why is this so dangerous? Each administration always has the ability to appoint a number of political positions in every agency. Of course we all know about cabinet positions, but there are even more that never go through Senate hearings and that we may never hear about. It is appropriate that an administration should be able to hire people across all departments and make sure their priorities are being carried out. However, less than 1% of the federal workforce falls in this category, the majority are apolitical civil service employees. These employees are crucial to keeping the machine of democracy moving. They know the rules, laws, and policies. They have the technical and scientific expertise. They know that they check their political beliefs at the door when they come to work and are there to carry out the laws and the president’s agenda, whether they agree with it or not. As I wrote about in my piece for GDI Insights4, bureaucracy, a government system where civil government officials are responsible for carrying out the majority of government tasks instead of elected and/or political officials, is absolutely essential to maintaining democracy. The president is not the CEO of the executive branch; they are its caretaker.

4

De Silva, G. (2026, Feb 19^th) Love Letter to Bureaucracy Global Development Interrupted: GDI Insights

Global Development Interrupted

Love Letter to Bureaucracy

During my last year at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), I had the pleasure of working under Ramona Godbole (featured on Global Development Interrupted on February 12, 2025). I cannot say enough about how wonderful she was to work with, and anyone who listens to the episode can hear the intelligence and passion that I so ad…

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6 months ago · 6 likes · 1 comment · Global Development Interrupted and Gretchen De Silva

Aside from a passing reference to “real harm” occurring in eastern Congo, the editorial fails to mention the reality of death, illness, and destroyed futures due to the reckless cuts to USAID. Estimates show that over 700,000 lives were lost in the first year2. Beyond lives lost, hundreds of thousands of babies have been born with HIV who would otherwise have been protected, there have been millions of additional cases of malaria, and tens of thousands of preventable tuberculosis cases. Ignoring the effect these levels of morbidity and mortally have on an economy based on just a year of growth is extremely short-sighted.

Additionally, the Post writes about how these actions forced countries to start investing in their own development. It has long been the goal of many administrations at USAID to end the need for foreign assistance. Not everything implemented at USAID was perfect, as those of us who worked at USAID know more than anyone else. However, recent efforts had directed more funds locally to build up local organizations and capacity. Except in rare cases, aid programming was built alongside local governments - not as charity to a needy country but instead as two partners working together. The way to make progress was not to destroy everything, including trust the United States had built over decades, or to throw out the years of knowledge in USAID employees, but instead to reform and improve alongside our partner countries.

And finally, it is unethical to mention the 80% cuts to USAID programming and impoundment of millions of dollars without mentioning these actions’ illegality. As written in our Constitution, Congress has the power to create budgets and the executive branch’s duty is to carry out those laws. Glossing over that important fact, normalizes these illegal actions and emboldens an administration that does not hesitate to steamroll the checks and balances that maintain our democracy.

🗞️ The Latest News

This week, the House of Representatives voted on a bill to fund foreign aid and it passed 341 - 79. The National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act appropriates $50 billion with the majority of that being for foreign aid programming (over $40 billion) and the remainder for all the other foreign affairs operations at the Department of State. The Senate Committee on Appropriations has put out a good, simple overview of the bill which is worth looking at. Overall it is really good news. It sets funding only slightly lower than last year and much higher, by $20 billion, than the president’s request. It is heartening that Republicans and Democrats are going on the record supporting aid and its importance to our country.

The Senate is heading out on recess for 10 days so we have to wait before we see that vote and of course it will need to be signed into law. Congress is, however, up against a deadline of January 30th to avoid another shutdown which they seem adamant to avoid.

Now $50 billion sounds like a lot of money, and it is, but it’s also really hard for us to comprehend. Once we get past 1 million, numbers start to become meaningless and so do the differences between them. So how does 50 million compare to 50 billion or 50 billion to 50 trillion? They are all just - big. So I think it’s really important to put that number into context instead of throwing it out in isolation. So let’s do that.

Percent of the U.S. Federal Budget

The United States budget is huge. We are the largest economy in the world. So although $50 billion is large, is it dwarfed by the total budget of $6.8 trillion (2025 numbers). That means that foreign assistance would be 0.7% of the entire budget.

It is also interesting to note here that when you poll Americans, they estimate we spend 26% of the federal budget on foreign aid.1 If that were true we would be spending $1.8 trillion. That’s more than we spend on defense.

As Compared to Other Countries

A common line from Secretary Rubio and others supporting the administration’s cuts to foreign aid is that other countries should be doing their fair share. Why does America have to do it all? Well when you look at the numbers, the Untied States is not even closing to pulling its own weight.

As I mentioned above, the U.S. is the largest economy in the world. So even when we contribute just 1% of our budget to foreign aid it is a huge amount. We are the largest provider of foreign assistance. However, as a proportion of our economy, we’re not even close to the top of the list. We spend 0.23% of our gross national income (GNI) of foreign assistance.2 That ranks us 29th. I chose just a sampling of the countries that outspend us to show on this chart.

As a Cost per American

Now let’s put it in the most relatable context possible - cost per taxpayer. The average American pays $13,890 in taxes.3 If 0.7% of our taxes are going to foreign aid that would be $102.13 per year. That’s $8.51 a month, the same amount I pay for my base level with-ads Netflix subscription. Or, in what has become a standard measure of cost in America, 1.5 lattes per month. Or …

🚨Action You Can Take

Tell Your Senator to Vote Yes on the Foreign Affairs Bill

As I mentioned above, the House has passed and the Senate will soon vote on a foreign aid funding bill. It keeps foreign aid at comparable levels of funding and rejects the cuts and recessions the administration was trying to make. So now is the time to call your Senator and ask them to vote yes on this bill. You can find contact information here or you can always call the switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Remember you can keep your message simple and always speak from your heart.

Write a Letter for Delivery on AOTH Hill Day

If you’re looking for ideas on how to start your letter click the submission link to see a template and get access to an AI assistant.

Attend Hill Day

If you’re local to DC, come join me and visit Congress to deliver letters and remind them why foreign aid is so important. It really feels invigorating to exercise your Constitutional right and duty as an American.

📖 What I’m Reading

Trump’s Bloody Hands

Since early in this administration, I have been hypothesizing that in a few years we will see graphs looking at all-cause mortality in the United States and how it will in spike in the year 2025. I expect they will be due to less access to healthcare, less access to food, higher unemployment, suicides, and direct violence from government agents.

Published back in November, this report from Choose Democracy analyzes the data on all of the deaths that have occurred due to the administration’s policies.4 It looks at policies around immigration, healthcare, transgender civil rights, SNAP cuts, and many more. Included of course are also the decisions around foreign aid and USAID, which account for the overwhelming majority of the estimated deaths. The report cites the data we have discussed before including the Impact Metrics Dashboard and the Lancet article.

Subscribe now

World AIDS Day

Ever since it began in 1988, the United States has recognized World AIDS Day. Until this year. The administration has told staff not to acknowledge the day, not to host events, and certainly not the spend any funds in relation to it. It is a slap in the face to all those who have been lost to HIV, healthcare workers here and around the world who are caring for HIV positive patients, and all the millions continuing to live with the disease. The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar) is one of the United States’ most successful global health programs. It has saved around 26 million lives and prevented nearly 8 million babies from being born with HIV. Read my friend and former colleague’s Substack to hear about the visual representation of Pepfar’s success that she saw first hard. But Pepfar’s work is not done, and now is not the time to step back. Not recognizing World AIDS Day is just another representation of this administration’s cruelty.

Hurricane Melissa Response

I mentioned in my last post how important it will be to watch the administration’s response to Hurricane Melissa without our country’s humanitarian response agency, USAID. The State Department is claiming success under a “new paradigm” of response. However, in reality the response was successful only because a few number of USAID experts with experience followed the tried and true USAID playbook. Jeremy Konyndyk, former lead for humanitarian response at USAID and current president of Refugees International, posted a thread on X about this.

Meeks Demands Answers on the Administration’s Food Waste

Representative Meeks (D-NY) is once again pressuring the executive branch to provide answers on harms caused by the disruption to foreign assistance. He along with his House Foreign Affairs Committee colleague Representative Amo (D-RI) are asking the USAID Office of the Inspector General to look into waste of food assistance. As they mention, there have been reports of millions of dollars of food being destroyed or allowed to rot due to the administration’s actions or inaction. These incidents can erode the credibility of U.S. foreign aid, whatever credibility still remains, and could be a misuse of congressionally authorized funds. Thank you once again to Representative Meeks for not letting these actions go unaddressed.

🚨Action You Can Take

Remembering USAID Through the Arts

If you are an artist, consider contributing your work to a show honoring USAID. It will be held in March 2026 at The Compass Atelier outside Washington, DC and submissions are being accepted through the end of the year. You can see details in the prospectus.

Apply Now

📖 What I’m Reading

On the Brink of Catastrophe

This research brief documents the extensive work by Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) to investigate disruptions to HIV programs in Tanzania and Uganda.1 They used focus groups and interviews to collect stories from healthcare workers, patients, and employees of HIV focused organizations carrying out the work. Along with the harms to physical and mental health and to health systems, they also documented the trust that has been broken. This is also a constant theme I have been hearing when I listen to the Global Development Interrupted podcast. Trust may very well be the hardest thing for us to rebuild.

As part of PHR’s work, they recorded interviews and you can actually listen and hear first hand from healthcare workers in Tanzania and Uganda. If you can’t read the whole article, just listening to those voices is well worth your time. The brief also concludes with recommendations to the UN, the local governments, and other groups. Here are their recommendations to the United States government.

• Immediately restore, renew, preserve, and protect global health funding for essential HIV services, including full funding commensurate with need for global HIV programs in the FY 2026 budget, and subsequently reauthorize the PEPFAR program.

• Reinstate support for HIV treatment; community-led outreach; PrEP access; differentiated service delivery models; peer-led health worker initiatives; community-led service delivery; and embedded health care workers providing HIV testing, counseling, and linkage to care for key populations.

• Restore and preserve PEPFAR and other global health funding in a way that supports a planned, feasible, and transparent transition to country leadership and ownership of programs.

In Mozambique, an ISIS insurgency is newly energized as US cuts impact aid programs

As a surprise to no-one who works in international development, the drawback of American support has provided space for the expansion of terrorist organizations. This CNN report details how this is happening in the north of Mozambique and includes a short video.2 This is a stark reminder of how foreign aid helps not only those in other countries, but also keeps us safe right here at home in the United States.

Happy USAID Day!

November 3rd was celebrated by many as the first annual USAID Day. John F. Kennedy Jr. created the agency on that day in 1961 so it is USAID’s birthday.

The instagram account Friends of USAID shared an amazing video of people celebrating and explaining the day including everyone from Senator Ed Markey to my favorite librarian and new Reading Rainbow host, Mychal!

Hurricane Response Without USAID

Late last month, Hurricane Melissa tore through the Caribbean with Jamaica being the hardest hit. If this had happened last year, USAID would have been leading the United States response. In fact, if this had happened last year, USAID would have been working with countries long before the storm even hit landfall. They helped by working together on simulation exercises and preparing emergency stocks of essentials. But because it’s 2025, the Department of State is taking the lead. However, according to the pictures I’ve received from those on the ground, the USAID logo remains strong. The administration has of course said that everything is going well, but I think it remains to be seen if our support has been as successful as it could have been.1 There are reasons to be doubtful.

First, there were about 800 people at USAID who were doing this kind of work and only 100 of them were retained and transitioned to the State Department. You can’t reduce staff by that much and expect no consequences. USAID would have also been on the ground before the storm hit. It’s unclear to me if there were expert State Department staff dispatched in advance. Additionally, the State Department isn’t set up to do the type of rapid disaster response that USAID has been doing for decades. All the systems and institutional knowledge that was built up at USAID has been lost. Are they going to be able to pivot to this new way of working in time to be helpful?

It will be important to keep a close eye on how this turns out as it is the first real test of disaster response after the gutting of foreign aid. NPR’s Goats and Soda interviewed experts who led disaster response for USAID and I highly recommend listening to their thoughts.2

Donate to Hurricane Melissa Relief

If you would like to support relief efforts in Jamaica and elsewhere I recommend a donation to Lutheran World Relief (LWR). LWR has an A rating from Charity Watch and 4 out of 4 stars from Charity Navigator. They are known for sticking around to build long term resilience long after other charities have left.

🚨 Action You Can Take

Celebrate Heritage - Inspire Change

Help raise funds for Kono Gnaga Association, a local Malian organization empowering girls through arts and education. Kono Gnaga is one of the organizations that lost a significant amount of funding due to the end of USAID programming. Attend their fundraising event full of music and dance or just give a donation if you can’t attend.

Buy Tickets

📖 What I’m Reading and Watching

Rovina’s Choice

Rovina’s Choice is a short documentary chronicling one woman’s fight to save her daughter from starvation. Their story is just one of hundreds of thousands, people whose lives are threatened and ultimately lost due to the shutdown of USAID. It is produced by Atul Gawande, the former head of Global Health at USAID. It premiered on November 3rd and you can now watch the film on The New Yorker’s YouTube channel and read Atul’s related article.3 Sharing statistics, like the fact that 600,000 people have died due to foreign aid cuts, is important, but telling a story is what moves people.

Aid Cuts Kill More Christians Than Jihadists

The president is concerned about the killing of Christians by jihadists in Nigeria. He is specifically concerned about Christians, even though the numbers he shares have little data to back them up, there is little evidence Christians are being specifically targeted, and most certainly more Muslims are being killed.4 Ironically, the administration has killed more Christians in Nigeria than even the most wildly exaggerated numbers being spouted, by ending foreign aid programming there. Approximately 120,000 Christians in Nigeria will die each year, based off the Center for Global Development estimates.5 If the president truly wanted to save Christian lives in Nigeria, restoring foreign aid programming would be much cheaper and much more effective than starting the war he is promising.

Read the New York Times op/ed from Nicholas Kristof for a more in depth look.6

Entire USAID Budget for an Argentina Bailout

As USAID staff were being fired and programs shuttered, a common refrain we heard was that it was just too big and too expensive. Why should we be sending so much money overseas when we have problems at home? It’s a valid question with a number of powerful answers, but none that seemed to sit well with the current administration. America First even at the expense of peace and global prosperity.

But how does the America First idea explain the up to $40 billion bailout for Argentina?1 As a reminder, USAID’s entire yearly budget was around the same amount ($35 billion) and through this we provided assistance to over 100 countries. I think as usual the winners in this administration are not in fact the American people, but instead whoever has the coziest relationship with the president.

Meeks Demands Answers from Secretary Rubio

This week, following multiple previous communications, Representative Meeks (D-NY) issued yet another letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio to provide evidence of his claim to Congress that “no one has died” as a result of the administration’s dismantling of USAID and deep cuts to U.S. foreign assistance. As the Representative notes there continues to be weekly articles in the press outlining deaths that are occurring due to these cuts.

He also cites the very detailed analysis done by the Lancet2 earlier this year, which I previously discussed as well as Boston University’s Impact Metrics Dashboard which estimates these funding cuts are the direct cause of 88 deaths per hour. Thank you so much to Representative Meeks for not letting this lie go unchallenged.

The false statements being told by the Secretary are especially painful and hypocritical, because previously Rubio had been a strong ally of foreign aid and voted for many foreign aid funding bills as a senator. Former USAID foreign service officer Michelle Dworkin writes more about this is her recent Hill op/ed.3 And - bonus - she gives a great explanation of how Congress oversaw everything USAID did and how the Agency followed appropriations law to the letter.

🚨 Action You Can Take

Comedy Show for the Lives USAID Can’t Save Anymore

Grassroots Comedy is once again hosting a comedy show to support the Crisis in Care Fundraiser, which raises money for local organizations that have been left behind by the foreign funding cuts.

Comedy Show for the Lives USAID Can’t Save Anymore: Bigger, Funnier, Sadder is happening on Friday, November 7th at 8:00 PM at All Souls Church (1500 Harvard St NW, Washington, DC). Cocktails and fun start at 6:30 PM.

Buy your tickets now! Only $17.85 for fired and furloughed U.S. Government staff

Who says saving lives can’t be hilarious? Join Grassroots Comedy for a night of stand-up that proves you can take on the foreign assistance funding crisis and laugh your face off at the same time.

We’re going ALL IN this time — with an incredible lineup featuring a SURPRISE headliner you’ve seen on Netflix, HBO, CBS, and Rolling Stone’s “50 Funniest People Right Now.”

The jokes will be sharp, the laughs will be loud, and every punchline helps sustain lifesaving HIV care through our Crisis in Care Fundraiser — supporting local organizations left stranded by USAID funding cuts.

📆 Upcoming Events

A Vigil with USAID

Gather with a group of former USAID staff to remember those affected by cuts to U.S. foreign assistance and to recommit to a more just and compassionate future. The event will include former USAID staff and leadership, faith leaders, and - pending final confirmation - members of Congress. The vigil will take place on the steps of the Ronald Reagan building, USAID’s former headquarters, at 6:00 p.m. on October 29, and all are welcome to join.

🥳 Happy Birthday USAID!

Then go from mourning to celebrating. In November of 1961 the Foreign Assistance Act was signed by President Kennedy and the United States Agency for International Development was born. And despite the never ending attacks on the Agency and its work since January, USAID endures. So next month join Aid on the Hill to celebrate USAID’s 63rd birthday.

🎥 Film Screening: Rovina’s Choice

Through the plight of one woman trying to save her daughter from starvation, “Rovina’s Choice” traces the effects of Donald Trump’s executive order banning US foreign aid, signed within hours of being sworn into office in January 2025. The film is directed by Thomas Jennings and Annie Wong, and executive produced by Atul Gawande (my former boss!) and Simon Kilmurry.

📅 November 1 at 11am ET
📍 Naval Heritage Center, Washington, DC
🔗 more info and registration

📖 What I’m Reading

Unpacking the US’s New Global Health Strategy

My former boss, Ramona Godbole, along with Charles Kenny from the Center for Global Development (CGD), a think tank that focuses on research to end global poverty and improve lives, published a blog post analyzing the Department of State’s new Global Health Strategy, which I mentioned briefly before.4

They note the positives in the strategy including the commitment to provide life-saving medication and programming. The strategy also talks about working more closely with governments, working across health silos, and integration with health systems instead of creating parallel pathways. However, as they also note, these are efforts that were already underway with PEPAR and USAID and progress was being made.

They then go on to discuss the weaknesses in the strategy. The main point being that the strategy puts ending financing of global health work as the ultimate goal. This is regardless of context or level of success. Shouldn’t we instead focus on successfully concurring these diseases as a trigger for reducing funding? Not to mention, every country isn’t going to be on the same timeline. Regions in crisis situations are unlikely to be able to take on this work any time in the foreseeable future.

Thank you Ramona for once again providing your thoughtful analysis of the facts.

Foreign Aid for Polar Bears

The Washington Post1 broke the news that the administration is drafting plans to spend $50 million of foreign aid funds to protect polar bears in Greenland. This was a surprise to many in the foreign aid space and to conservation researchers who study the arctic. This level of funding is significantly greater than what has ever been spent on this type of work. As a matter of perspective, The Greenland Institute of Natural Resources has a budget of less than $500,000 per year to study polar bears. Although I think supporting polar bear research and conversation is a great idea, it is horrific to think of this money going to projects that aren’t even able to absorb and use this level of funding while millions of people are suffering around the world due to the sudden shuttering of USAID health, humanitarian, and nutrition activities. It’s unclear why this would be a priority for the administration. It appears it may be a personal priority of the current Under Secretary for Foreign Assistance or perhaps it is related to the president’s repeated statements that he wants to take over Greenland.

What is most upsetting about this plan though is that the administration says they are doing this because they can’t reprogram the funds due to Congressional mandates. They are therefore “exploring creative ways to abide by the law and still advance our country’s strategic goals.” It is not clear why this time they are focused on abiding by the laws when this was never the concern when unlawfully withholding money and going against Congressional wishes with their illegal pocket rescission.

🚨 Action You Can Take

‼️ This Saturday: Attend a No Kings Day Event

Obviously the No Kings Day rallies are about much more than foreign assistance, but I believe that all of the issues are interconnected. The rallies are an opportunity to stand against the illegal USAID firings and the administration’s refusal to abide by the law with regards to many things, including funding for foreign aid.

Become a Member of AID on the Hill

I’ve talked a lot about Aid on the Hill (AOTH) in this newsletter. They started in February as an emergency response to a quickly evolving situation. Since then they have displayed their expertise in advocating to the U.S. Congress and their deep knowledge of foreign aid. Because of their hard work, many programs have survived, upcoming budget plans for foreign aid are higher than expected, and - despite rhetoric to the contrary - USAID still exists in law.

Now, AOTH is looking for formalize and professionalize. Part of that process is creating a membership model. You can join at a basic level at no cost or opt for the additional perks of a premium membership. And if you join before the end of the year you can get the first year of premium membership free! Select Individual Membership and use the coupon code USAIDFOREVER2025 at checkout. There is a vetting process for new members so if you know me personally please reach out and I can fast track your approval!

📖 What I’m Reading

The Downfall of USAID: The Full Story

This is a detailed and visually stunning illustration of the destruction of USAID.2 It is full of pictures and includes an interactive timeline. Reading this brought back so many memories, especially of one day in particular.

January 28th was the date when everything changed. I already knew that due to the stop work order I was being let go along with hundreds of my amazing contractor colleagues. Up to that point it had been a week of never-ending bad policies and disrespectful emails from political leadership. But on that day, 60 leaders at USAID - including all of the Global Health Bureau’s senior leadership - were put on administrative leave and sent home. This was supposedly because they were defying executive orders, but I knew for a fact nothing could be further from the truth. They lost access to their email and computers and in one case was escorted out by security. At that point I knew. This wasn’t just about bad policy that I disagreed with. This was a concerted effort to take over the government, replace civil servants with loyalists, and install an authoritarian regime. I had a panic attack in the middle of making dinner and my husband had to tell me to stop cooking and sit down. I called my soon-to-be former boss. I called my journalist friend. I called my sister. I sat on the floor of my closet and cried. My son is 14 and old enough to understand and had the right to know what was going on. I told him, “remember this day. Today is the beginning of the end of the United States as we know it.”

Nothing that has happened since then has caused me to take back those words. I have more hope now than I did then that we may be able to resist. But the intention of the current administration remains clear - nothing but a complete and total take over of the government.

USAID & State Department Staff Receive an Award for Their Constructive Dissent

The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) awarded their constructive dissent award for mid-level officers to a cohort of Department of State and USAID employees who spoke out against the dismantling of USAID, the termination of foreign assistance programs, and the improper firings. Back in March of this year, a group of foreign service employees expressed their opposition through what’s known as a dissent cable. A dissent cable is formal memo that is filed to “express dissenting or alternative views on substantive issues of policy.1” According to the Department of State’s own employee manual it is an important process for ensuring an open, creative, and uncensored dialogue of policy issues.

The State Department and USAID staff dissented saying the foreign aid freeze put the lives of diplomats at risk. Additionally, they stated it “jeopardizes our partnerships with key allies, erodes trust, and creates openings for adversaries to expand their influence.” They emphasized how foreign aid is not charity but instead a strategic soft power tool that both diplomats and the Department of Defense rely on. Congratulations to these brave employees.

Of note, AFSA is a professional society, but also a union. So this is also a great opportunity to recognize the role federal employee unions have always played, but especially since the attacks on the civil service began in January. Collective bargaining power, including for federal employees, is a key right needed in our capitalistic society where large corporations are so powerful. Unions also stand up for their employees in the courts when necessary. Specifically, AFSA has multiple lawsuits against the current administration including fighting against the dismantling of USAID and against union-busting.

Senator Collins Stands Against Impoundment

Although the shutdown itself is dominating headlines, October 1st was also the day when the administration’s illegal pocket rescission took effect. As we’ve discussed, the administration asked Congress to claw back $5 billion in foreign aid funding. However, it sent the request less than 45 days before the end of the fiscal year. Generally, Congress has 45 days to respond to a rescission and if they do nothing - the rescission is rejected. In this case, Congress had not responded to the rescission request by midnight on September 30th when the funds expired and therefore with a little help from the Supreme Court the administration was able to avoid spending $5 billion that Congress, who holds the power of the purse, had told them to spend.

In good news, Republican Senator Collins from Maine has come out and said that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) should sue the administration over their refusal to spend these funds2. She had previously put out a statement when the pocket rescission was first sent stating how it was illegal and that budget decisions should be worked out during the normal appropriations process.

🚨 Action You Can Take

Support Unseen Impact

Unseen Impact is a coffee table book in the works which will include stories and pictures of America’s global health work. It looks like it will be a beautiful way to capture the legacy of our country’s foreign aid initiatives when so many of our records have been lost. You can sign up via their website to hear about when preorders start or to contribute your own pictures and stories.

📖 What I’m Reading

New York Times: What Was Lost: Former Federal Workers on the Cost of the Cuts

This article3 provides powerful stories about former federal workers, what their layoffs and early retirements mean for them personally, but also what we as a nation are losing when we throw out this amazing expertise and the programs they were responsible for. I especially draw your attention to two of my former colleagues, Charlotte Colvin and Julianne Weis.

Charlotte was one of the first people I worked with when I joined USAID in 2018. She taught me so much about working in foreign assistance programming and about tuberculosis specifically. With so many myths about USAID work not being accountable or not having oversight, her work is something I think about a lot. She was passionate about using data and evidence to measure the work that USAID did and making sure that taxpayer money was as successful as possible.

Julianne and I did not work closely together when we were both at USAID. However, I have gotten to know her better over the last seven months since she is one of the founders of Aid on the Hill. I have been so inspired by how she has taken our terrible situation and turned it into meaningful work. She has been fighting so hard to make sure that Congress and the public gets the true facts about U.S. foreign aid.

Thank you to both of you for sharing your story.

USAID Wins the Berkeley Rotary Club International Peace Award

On September 24th USAID was awarded the International Peace Award by the Berkeley Rotary Club in recognition of its “work to provide assistance to countries experiencing conflict, poverty, or disaster, and to promote democracy and economic growth." A number of USAID alum attended and shared stories of their experiences and all the lessons they learned working for USAID. A redwood tree was planted in the Tilden Park Peace Grove in honor of USAID.

After months of being labeled a corrupt organization (Trump), a ball of worms (Musk), and criminals (Musk) it is so refreshing for the agency and staff to be recognized for all the good we’ve done including the promotion of peace through many means. Providing people healthcare, education, food, and economic opportunities builds peaceful societies and societies that can stand up for themselves and their rights.

Supreme Court Upholds the Pocket Rescission

Earlier this month the Supreme Court ruled via a temporary stay on a lower court ruling that the administration could continue to hold $5 billion in foreign aid funds hostage using a pocket rescission. Just a few days ago they issued an emergency ruling and doubled down on that decision. Although this is not a ruling on the merits of the case, with hours left in the fiscal year this will allow the administration to do exactly what it wants to do - not spend the money Congress told them to spend. I am not a lawyer, but I find this ruling very troubling. The court said forcing them to spend the money would “harm … the Executive’s conduct of foreign affairs,” but in fact the administration has leeway in how that money is spent and has months to figure it out. But to just not spend it - that sounds like illegal impoundment to me.

Contraceptives at Risk of Incineration Continue to Make News

Despite some back and forth including incorrect statements from USAID itself, it appears the administration has not yet spent $167,000 to destroy nearly $10 million in U.S. taxpayer purchased contraceptives. In the meantime, more people are hearing about this devastating possibility and we’ve seen social media posts from the halls of Congress to Hollywood.

Project Resource Optimization Raises $110 Million for Former USAID Programs

Shortly after the attacks on USAID and foreign assistance began, a number of my incredibly smart and talented former colleagues began Project Resource Optimization (PRO). Their goal is to identify the “highest impact, most cost-effective aid programs at risk” due to funding loss and match them with willing donors. On September 24th PRO announced that they had raised over $110 million and have been able to fund all of the projects identified in their first wave. This is an amazing accomplishment and I congratulate them.

This is of course only a fraction of what has been lost so their work continues. It is also important to note that private philanthropy will never be able to fill the role of government. USAID allowed United States programs to speak with one voice to the local government and work in harmony. The name USAID got us into the room with the highest level local government officials and gave us the power to bring together other major donor countries and international organizations like WHO and UNICEF. Being the biggest donor had a lot of benefits and gave us incredible soft power. Foreign aid programming is diplomacy. Also, foreign aid programming is defense (see peace award above!)

🚨 Action You Can Take

Protect Needed Contraceptives and Prevent the Waste of Taxpayer Money

As I’ve mentioned above and previously, the administration is planning to destroy perfectly good, safe contraceptives that have already been bought by the American people. This is despite multiple governments and nonprofit organizations offering to buy them and/or distribute them. Call your member of Congress and let them know you are not okay with this and you want them to use their oversight power of the executive branch to investigate and stop this wasteful and cruel act.

📖 What I’m Reading

CGD: Analyzing USAID Program Disruptions: Implications for PEPFAR Programming and Beneficiaries

This note from the Center for Global Development was written by my most recent former boss at USAID, Ramona Godbole. I am proud to call her a colleague and friend. She did an incredible analysis of the data available on the disruptions since January to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

There’s a lot in here, but one thing that stood out to me is the misalignment between what Secretary Rubio says he wants to do and what is actually happening to the money. The administration says they never wanted to disrupt live saving programming. However her analysis shows that 15% of the programs that “unambiguously meet the administration’s own definition of lifesaving” were in fact cut. This includes 23% of the funding for treatment of HIV. It is also remains unclear how if at all certain prevention methods will continue under this new, more restricted mandate. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), medication taken by an individual at high risk of contracting HIV, and what’s known as voluntary medical male circumcision are extremely effective at preventing infection and are a critical piece of stopping the HIV epidemic.

PEPFAR is largely considered the greatest accomplishment in global health since the eradication of smallpox. It is America at its greatest and it is shame to see all of this unnecessary harm.

Department of State America First Global Health Strategy

Last week, the Department of State released their new global health strategy to lay out the work they will do going forward. From the start of course we have the “America first” slogan in the title bringing all of its xenophobic baggage with it - even more painful when included in a strategy meant to be about helping the world.

Not surprisingly the strategy is focused around the three pillars Secretary Rubio has been mentioning since the beginning of the foreign aid shut down and sham review. Anything we do should be about keeping America safer, stronger, and more prosperous. Perhaps they are starting to see what I said in my earliest rally sign from the end of January - foreign assistance accomplishes all of those goals.

In my last 15 months at USAID the main focus of my job was to lead the formation of a USAID Global Health Policy. A document meant to lay out our strategies and goals for the next ten years - not unlike this strategy from the Department of State. Over that year plus, I spent anywhere from 25% to 100% of my time on the project. I brought together an interdisciplinary group from around the Agency to contribute. We reached out to fellow government agencies that also work in global health including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of State. We contracted a literature review to compile the latest evidence on what works in global health programming. We held meeting after meeting. We wrote draft after draft. We spent late nights toiling over the right words. We navigated different opinions and found common ground. We shared a draft with the public and collected and responded to hundreds of comments. And in the beginning of 2025 we were so proud to be launching it across the Agency.

Amazingly, the State Department was able to put together this strategy in less than nine months during a time of major changes in the staffing and structure of the government’s global health work. It makes you wonder how much input there was by experts who have done this work for years. It makes you wonder how much evidence was gathered and used. As I read the strategy I see lots of numbers and graphs but zero citations. Even the pictures are not credited.

Government often gets flack for its slow bureaucratic nature. Often that’s due to the careful process we use to make any decisions or develop anything new. We can’t and shouldn’t work like a private company that makes decisions at the speed of a single CEO’s stream of consciousness. However, it has become clear that for this administration careful steps and building consensus is not their priority. Top down and being disruptive are the values used.

I’m going to keep digging into this strategy and report more in the coming weeks.

🚨 Action You Can Take

Art Initiative to Celebrate USAID

If you are an artist who cares about USAID consider submitting a piece of artwork for the art initiative Remembering USAID Through the Arts. For more information read the prospectus.

📖 What I’m Reading and Watching

DevEx: The Next Global Food Crisis will come. The US is Not Ready

My expertise at USAID was focused on health and it’s often the easiest part of foreign aid to explain. But since I was terminated I’ve had the opportunity to learn a lot more about the food and nutrition work that USAID does. In this article, Dina Esposito, a former leader at USAID, talks about what is being lost with the reductions in foreign nutrition aid and the dangerous position that puts us in.

What I really like about the article is how it explains the two different ways of providing food aid. One is to provide actual food. The second is to provide what’s known as food security. Food security builds the systems needed to feed hungry people by investing in farmers and agricultural businesses. Direct food aid is crucial when there is an acute crisis like an earthquake or war, but food security is required for long term success and the ability for a country or region to become less dependent on foreign aid.

This is especially poignant when we think about what the administration is saying about foreign aid. They want to only support activities that save lives immediately. We see this in global health when they say they only want to buy medicine, but not support training opportunities for healthcare workers or assist governments running health promotion campaigns. The same is happening in the food space. The administration has kept Food for Peace, which is food aid, while cutting Feed the Future, which is focused on food security. For an administration that says it wants countries to become self-sufficient and less dependent on foreign aid (a goal expressed by many previous administrations as well) this strategy does not make any sense. I feel there’s a fishing analogy hiding in here somewhere but I can’t quite … reel it in.

Freeze of Foreign Aid Goes to Supreme Court

In an emergency filing, the administration asked the Supreme Court to validate their freezing of billions of dollars of foreign aid. This is a case I’ve discussed before which was brought by partners that receive funding from USAID. They are claiming that not spending funds in the way Congress has written into law is illegal and unconstitutional. Before the filing to the Supreme Court, Judge Ali from U.S. District Court had ruled that the administration must spend congressionally appropriated funds by the end of the fiscal year. This included funds that were part of the “pocket rescission” we’ve talked about. A temporary order from the Supreme Court has now said that the administration can resume freezing foreign aid funds. The underlying case and final decision by the full Supreme Court is still outstanding, but this raises the risk that these funds will never be spent before expiring at the end of this month.

Obviously this is significant for foreign funding, but it also goes way beyond that. The Constitution states that Congress is in charge of deciding how taxpayer funds will be used, and it is the executive branch’s job to carry out those decisions. If the Supreme Court grants the administration the powers to make funding decisions a key Constitutional check that helps maintain our democracy will be destroyed.

You can read the full history of this case here.

PEPFAR to Support New HIV Preventive Drug

In a press release last week, the State Department announced that it was partnering with Gilead Pharmaceuticals to promote production and distribution of lenacapavir. This is a new drug to prevent HIV in those who are high-risk, for example those with an HIV positive partner, and instead of being a daily drug is instead an injection twice a year.

The drug is considered a breakthrough in its near perfect ability to prevent infection through the convenience of semi-annual injections which avoids remembering to take a pill every day. When everything started to fall apart in January, many in the HIV community were concerned this pharmaceutical would never make it to millions of people in low and middle-income countries who need it. It is clear that time has been lost over the last 7 months of chaos and the destruction of global health systems including supply chains. We also know that staff who can managing a program such as this is limited considering the dangerously rapid folding of global health programming into the Department of State and their own reduction in force. However, I am thankful this is one goal that the administration seems to be leaning in to.

🚨 Action You Can Take

Find Your Local Town Hall

We have talked about how important town halls are for influencing members of Congress. They are visible, public events and showing up and asking questions sends a strong message about what is important to constituents. I just learned about a resource from Citizens’ Impeachment where you can find when and where your local town halls are happening. Right now it looks like it is populated through mid-October. Hopefully they will continue to keep it up-to-date. Check out my previous posts on why town halls are important and possible town hall questions.

Support AID on the Hill

If you’ve been reading these for a while you know that I volunteer with AID on the Hill, a non-partisan grassroots organization that advocates to Congress and educates the public on the importance of foreign aid. This group was launched quickly after the foreign aid freeze at the end of January. They collect letters, host visits to the Hill, and share information through easy to understand resources. They are all volunteers. Many of them have been unemployed since January. In order to continue the work they’ve been doing they will need funds. Consider making a donation to support their efforts.

📖 What I’m Reading and Watching

AP: In Boko Haram’s birthplace, USAID’s collapse threatens a school for victims of extremism

Critics of foreign aid often talk about how it is a waste of money. That we should be focusing on Americans first and we don’t have extra funds to provide charity to other countries. But that is short sighted. None of USAID’s work was pure charity. We supported these programs in other countries because it made us safer back home, and this article explains one way this happened and what we are now losing. When the United States pulls out, people in desperate situations turn to extremist groups like Boko Haram. That directly affects the safety of Americans.

Podcast: Global Development Interrupted

Sometimes podcasts are the best way to get information. I know that in my busy before-times life, finding time to sit down to read an entire news or magazine article was difficult. And when I did have quiet time at the end of the day, I wanted to relax and escape with a fiction book - not read something deep and thoughtful about the current troubles in the world. However, my commute was my podcast time. I could catch up on the latest news but also listen to deep analyses. That’s why I appreciate this new podcast started by a former USAID colleague. She is interviewing former USAID staff to share the work that we at USAID did, their own personal stories, and stories from our work around the world. There are already two great episodes out showcasing the personal history of USAID employees and what brought them to the work they did.

End of USAID Employment

Although most staff had already left, September 2nd was the last day of employment for any USAID workers. Now the agency still exists in law, but it has no programming and no staff. What I think is hard for some outside of the development sector to understand is this is not just the loss of a job for over 10,000 individual people plus tens of thousands more at the organizations we used to fund. This would be bad enough, but it is actually the destruction of an entire sector. It is the erasure of careers. As I talk to people in my network I know that the small number of jobs available have literally thousands of applicants. And every one of my former colleagues has acknowledged they will be taking a pay cut, often significant. Imagine if that was your profession. Imagine if overnight 80% of the teaching jobs or the science jobs or construction jobs just disappeared. That is what we are experiencing. A career you have dedicated your time, education, and passion to just gone. If interested, you can read more here: DevEx: Laid-off USAID workers struggle to find work as new job cuts approach.

Pocket Rescission

We talked a lot about the rescission package that was passed earlier this year. Now the administration is also trying to carry out what is called a "pocket rescission”, which is of questionable legality at best. When a rescission request is sent to Congress they have 45 days to act. If they do nothing, the rescission is not approved and the Executive Branch must spend the money in question the way Congress already passed into law. So what happens if the administration sends a rescission package to the Hill with less than 45 days left in the fiscal year, which is when the funds expire? That is a pocket rescission and the administration has just proposed one including $5 billion in foreign assistance. It seems that regardless of what Congress does these funds will not be spent. But not only that, there are an additional $7 billion in foreign aid not included in this rescission that the administration has revealed will not be spent by the end of the fiscal year. Remember that these are all funds already approved and passed into law by Congress. It is not the executive branch’s job to decide how money is spent. Congress holds the power of the purse. Their job is the carry out the laws Congress passes, including appropriations. The Government Accountability Office (GAO - a nonpartisan, independent agency that conducts audits for Congress) has very plainly stated that a pocket rescission is illegal. The administration is clearly testing how far they can push their constitutional powers. I think that whenever an administration is trying to remove checks and balances in our democracy we should be very concerned. Here are a few things included in the rescission package:

• $38.6 million for biodiversity and low-emissions development in West Africa

• $13.4 million for civic engagement in Zimbabwe

• $650,000 for micro-insurance for smallholder farmers and microbusinesses in Colombia for climate disaster response

🚨 Action You Can Take

Tell Congress to Reject the Pocket Rescission

Tell your members of Congress to block the illegal pocket rescission I mentioned above. It has sparked bipartisan pushback on the Hill and as I mentioned the GAO has stated it is illegal. You can use the 5 Calls app and script and/or find your Congressional members’ contact information here.

Support the Global Health Science and Practice Journal

USAID was committed to monitoring and evaluating our programming successes and failures, learning from them, and making changes as needed. We strived to direct money towards programs that were most likely to yield positive results. One way we built a culture of building and using evidence not only at the Agency but in the entire development community was through support of the Global Health Science and Practice Journal (GHSP). GHSP is a peer-reviewed scientific journal launched and funded by USAID. It is a space to share data and evidence related to global health practice and make sure knowledge was shared widely. It is no-fee and open-access. Unfortunately, due to the slashing of USAID funds it is struggling to stay open. Johns Hopkins hosts the journal and you can read in a recent editorial about how they operate, what their impact has been, and how they are trying to stay afloat. If you would like to make a financial contribution visit https://secure.jhu.edu/form/JohnsHopkinsCCP and select “The Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs” from the Gift Designation drop-down menu. Until September 30, your donation will automatically be directed to help CCP keep GHSP open.

Fun Fact: Last year I had the chance to serve as a guest editor for a special supplement in GHSP. The editors were nothing but complete professionals and it was a great experience.

📖 What I’m Reading and Watching

PBS News Hour: Cuts & Consequences

PBS of course has a great documentary on the consequences of the cuts to USAID. They visit Kenya and Ghana where some of the most dangerous effects are happening.

The effects of the Trump administration's cuts to the U.S. agency for international development are being felt around the world. USAID, which for years had broad bipartisan support, was seen as a way of exporting American values and helping some of the most vulnerable people across the globe. But the Trump administration claims it did not serve U.S. interests and has eliminated many of its operations. In partnership with the Pulitzer Center, PBS News traveled to Kenya and Ghana to look at what happens when that support goes away.

BBC: Botswana Declares National Emergency

This one really hits close to my heart. Botswana is where I studied abroad in college and the first country I visited on the continent. At that time I remember they had the highest rate of people living with HIV. But over the last twenty years so much had been accomplished. Unfortunately, now with the USAID cuts alongside other economic concerns they are facing shortages of essential medicines and medical equipment.

Roadblock for Lawsuit on Impoundment of USAID Funds

Back in February, a number of non-profit organizations and companies who receive funding from USAID to run development programs filed a lawsuit against the administration. The lawsuit claimed the foreign aid funding freeze was impoundment and unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Amir Ali had agreed and ruled that the administration needed to pay the organizations the money Congress had already allocated. Unfortunately, the administration continued to defy the order while also appealing. This week the appeals court voted 2-1 that the organizations do not have the standing to sue. This leaves still unanswered whether what the administration is doing is illegal, but is a setback for the organizations and foreign aid funding. The judges claim that only the Government Accountability Office could bring this case to court. It looks like the plaintiffs will be appealing and the case will most likely end up at the Supreme Court. You can read more about the lawsuit here and on all foreign aid related lawsuits here.

UN World Food Program Shuts Down 150 Clinics in Nigeria

Since the World Food Program (WFP) lost U.S. support they have been scaling back food rations in Africa’s most populated country and appealing for more funds to continue nutrition assistance. Unfortunately, funding has not materialized and so WFP will have to close half their clinics in the northeast of the country. This means over 300,000 children under two will be losing access to lifesaving nutrition treatment. In a conflict-ridden region like northern Nigeria, the lack of food will lead to increased migration and a turn to support from extremist groups out of desperation. Read more: Business Insider Africa; UN News; Bloomberg (subscription required)

Lawsuit on the Legality of Attempts to Shutter USAID Allowed to Continue

More news from the courts. This time with better news for the future of USAID. In February a lawsuit was filed by former and current USAID employees against DOGE alleging that the attempt to shut down USAID was unconstitutional, because those actions can only be taken by Senate-approved officials. DOGE had filed a motion to dismiss the case saying the U.S. District Court in Maryland lacked jurisdiction. On Wednesday, Judge Theodore Chuang rejected that request meaning the lawsuit can continue. Read more from Bloomberg Law.

🚨 Action You Can Take

📆 August 30: Comedy Show for the Lives USAID Can't Save Anymore

For those of you in the DC area, Grassroots Comedy is hosting a comedy show to benefit A Crisis in Care, a rapid-response fundraiser supporting frontline HIV programs left stranded by U.S. funding cuts. The effort was launched by former USAID employees. Crisis in Care is providing local in-country organizations who relied on USAID funding the money they need to keep their doors open. You can buy tickets to the show here or donate directly to Crisis in Care here.

August Recess Continues

Your representatives are still on recess. This means members of Congress are back in their districts and it’s a great opportunity for those outside of DC to engage. I’ve mentioned before a ChatGPT that was put together by a colleague of mine. You can use it to draft a letter to Congress but its now been expanded to help with even more advocacy actions. I asked it about town halls, which many members host during recesses. Here is some of what it shared with me.

Town halls are one of the few chances you get to speak directly to your elected official in front of an audience. When you ask a smart, values-driven question at a town hall, you’re not just influencing your Member of Congress—you’re educating everyone else in the room. So let’s talk strategy.

🎯 Why Town Hall Questions Matter

Congressional offices track the themes that come up at town halls. If foreign assistance barely gets mentioned, it doesn’t rank as a priority. But when a constituent stands up and speaks from the heart—especially about something like USAID, global hunger, or humanitarian aid—it sends a signal: People back home care about this.

✅ Tips for a Great Town Hall Question

• Be polite, concise, and passionate.

• Mention your role as a constituent.

• Use your values—faith, security, compassion, patriotism—as a frame.

• End with a specific question that requires a response.

Give it a try yourself and look for town halls in your district!

📖 What I’m Reading and Watching

Lancet: Evaluating the impact of two decades of USAID interventions and projecting the effects of defunding on mortality up to 2030: a retrospective impact evaluation and forecasting analysis (AKA: Yes! USAID Saved Millions of Lives)

Ok this is a bit of a dense article with a lot of numbers and statistics. So you can also check out NPR’s coverage of the research. It’s ground breaking, because there haven’t been many studies looking at the effects of USAID’s work, and certainly not one that was so thorough, scientific, and expansive. The analysis shows that USAID funds were able to save lives across all areas of our health work. USAID saved over 90 million lives over 21 years, a third of them children. Sadly, if the cuts to USAID are allowed to continue, the authors predict over 14 million people will die unnecessarily before 2030. Let’s think about that. For the bargain price of less than 1% of our federal budget we can save over 14 million lives. And this is only looking at health programming. USAID does so much more. Now that is (was?) America being great!

PBS News Hour August 14: TB in Bangladesh

This report from Bangladesh on the world’s most deadly infectious disease shows the difficulties the country is facing trying to contain TB after the abrupt removal of USAID funds. The treatment of TB includes long months of medication which if stopped can lead to dangerous drug-resistance microbes. And it’s a good time to remember that the U.S. has about 10,000 cases of TB each year and it has been rising over the last 5 years. Infectious diseases know no borders.

Rescission Bill Passes

Disappointingly, but not unexpectedly, the administration’s rescission bill ended up passing Congress and was signed by President Trump. As mentioned, the bill claws back a total of $9 billion including $7 billion in foreign aid and also includes cuts to public media such as NPR and PBS. It’s important to keep remembering that this is not a regular fudging bill, but instead the administration taking back what Congress had already voted on and agreed to. It is raising questions of why Congress would work in a bipartisan manner to pass compromise budgets when there is no assurance the executive branch will uphold them.

There was an amendment to the bill which removed the cuts to the highly successful and popular Pepfar program, the President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief. Ironically, there is now news that the administration has a plan to overhaul Pepfar, moving it away from its original mandate to focus instead solely on protecting Americans from outbreaks and selling American health products. It will be interesting to see how the two Republican Senators who voted to save Pepfar, Senator Susan Collins of Maine and Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, will respond to this news if the plan does go forward.

Nearly $10 Million in U.S. Taxpayer Funded Contraceptives Being Destroyed 

Since the foreign aid freeze, $9.7 million worth of contraceptive implants and pills as well as intrauterine devices to help prevent unwanted pregnancies have been sitting in a European warehouse unable to move. Despite offers from non profits and UN agencies to buy the products and distribute them, the administration is instead choosing to spend an additional $167,000 to incinerate them. We are simultaneously wasting millions of taxpayer dollars and callously preventing women from getting healthcare they want and need. To me this is in direct contradiction to the desire to reduce waste that the administration says it wants.

AID on the Hill has a Website!

The organization I have been volunteering with just launched a website. It has great information on how to contact members of Congress, talking points to use, and case studies put together by foreign aid experts. Since launching in February, Aid on the Hill has visited 187 Congressional offices and delivered 2,028 letters!

🚨 Action You Can Take

August Recess Meetings

It’s August recess time, which means members of Congress are back in their districts and it’s a great opportunity for those outside of DC to engage. AID on the Hill has a step by step plan on how to set up district meetings and a number of resources you can use. These include state maps where you can see how USAID cuts are specifically affecting your state.

Attend a Town Hall

During recess members often host town halls. It is a great opportunity to listen to what they have to say or even better to share a comment or ask them a question. If you go to congress.gov you can find your members and click through to their website. Check for upcoming events or better yet sign up for their newsletter to always be updated. What are some questions you can ask? If your member is supportive of the administration’s actions here are some ideas:

• I am concerned about how the destruction of USAID is going to harm America. How are you going to ensure that the loss of this soft power won’t harm our country’s economy and security?

• I keep hearing that cutting programs like USAID will save us money, but experts say these programs actually prevent costly military interventions and economic instability. Can you explain how these cuts are fiscally responsible?

• With rising threats like pandemics, migration, and climate change, how can we afford to shrink our diplomatic and development footprint instead of strengthening it?

If your member is fighting against the threats to foreign aid here are some ideas:

• Thank you for your support for foreign aid. How are you working to ensure that the administration is spending money in the manner that you in Congress have dictated?

• Thank you for your support for foreign aid. How are you working to save the necessary expertise and funding that were part of USAID?

📖 What I’m Reading and Watching

New York Times: Were the USAID Cuts 'Efficient?'

This is a great 2 minute overview video by the New York Times. It covers the timeline of USAID cuts and how they are making any remaining work inefficient and not saving any taxpayer money. 

Stars and Stripes: Senators say foreign aid cuts could impede work of AFRICOM, SOCOM nominees

This article reports on the nomination hearings for the heads of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and U.S. Special Operations Command. Senators, including both Democrats and Republicans, expressed concern that the disruption to humanitarian assistance and downsizing of the State Department will make the work of AFRICOM and others more difficult. “Committee chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., asked … how Moscow and Beijing would respond if the U.S. were to abandon its foreign-aid engagements — ‘I think they’d be celebrating, would they not?’” In reality, we know they are already responding. As you can see below, Russia and China are moving into the vacuum left behind by USAID cuts.

Gavi Contributions Stopped

Robert F. Kennedy Jr, Director of Health and Human Services, announced recently that the United States is stopping contributions to the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) in an address that included multiple inaccuracies about vaccines. Gavi put out a response explaining the actual scientific facts on vaccine safety. Gavi has helped to immunize more than 1.1 billion children in 78 countries, preventing more than 18.8 million deaths, and generating economic benefits estimated at more than $250 billion, between 2000-2023. It supports vaccines against 20 infectious diseases, and hosts the global emergency vaccine stockpiles against Ebola, yellow fever, meningitis, and cholera. This loss of funding could result in 75 million children not receiving routine vaccinations over the next five years, leading to more than 1.2 million children dying as a result. You can read more about Gavi and how it runs in this report from KFF.

USAID is not dead, just completely incapacitated

On July 1st, all of USAID programming, the approximately 15% remaining, was transferred to the Department of State. At the same time nearly all of USAID staff was subjected to a reduction in force, with just a small number staying on through the summer. This includes the USAID foreign service officers who signed up, not just for a job, but to a career dedicated to serving and representing our country around the world, sometimes in very difficult situations. The last two weeks have been full of eulogies and special events marking the sad end to USAID. It’s important to remember the great work that was done and what is being lost. However, I think it is also very important to remember that USAID still exists until and unless Congress votes to eliminate it. With even a skeleton remaining, we can rebuild.

Rescission Vote

I’ve mentioned the rescission bill multiple times during my updates. This bill would claw back over $8 billion in USAID programming that was already approved by Congress, codifying cuts made by DOGE. As you may remember, the bill passed the House last month and we are expecting the Senate to vote this week or next. Here are few cuts included in the rescission package on top of the ones I’ve mentioned before:

• $496 million for international disaster assistance which provides humanitarian assistance in response to natural disasters, conflicts, and other emergencies around the world.

• $57 million for Transition Initiatives which support U.S. foreign policy objectives by helping local partners advance peace and democracy in countries in crisis.

• $460 million to support former communist countries in Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asias region with programs focused on economic and political stability.

🚨 Action You Can Take

Show Your Support for Gavi

Shot@Life, a United Nations Foundation campaign working to ensure everyone in the world has access to lifesaving vaccines and all children have a shot at life, have provided an easy way for you to contact your member of Congress and demand we continue to support Gavi.

‼️ Vote No on Rescission

As I mentioned, we expect the Senate will be voting on the rescission this week or next. It’s important that all Senators hear from us. The 5 Calls website and app are a great, easy way to call your Senator and tell them to vote no on rescission using a simple script. There is even a one-click way to get connected if you’re using the smart phone app.

📖 What I’m Reading and Watching

NPR: Former DOGE engineer says he was 'surprised' by 'how efficient' the government is.

So this one is not directly related to foreign assistance, but I think it is an important read. There is a common perception that government is inefficient, slow, and ineffective. Some of that is myth, but there are reasons why this is often true. One is that we don’t always have access to the fastest, most efficient systems - not because we don’t want them or because we don’t understand them - just because we are always working on a shoestring budget and we can’t upgrade a system unless Congress gives us the okay. Secondly, we are highly bureaucratic. That is often a four-letter word, but the bureaucracy is there for a reason. Everything we do with tax payer money needs to be checked and re-checked. No one person gets to make a decision. Everything is recorded and monitored and closely overseen by Congress, GAO, OIG, and the media. This is how we prevent waste, fraud, and abuse and ensure that we are doing exactly what Congress, and therefore the American people, told us to do with this money. In my own roles at USAID I was often in the position of having to tell people - no, you can’t spend the money that way even if it makes the most sense. We can only spend the money in the way Congress told us to and any change will require 10 different hoop jumps.

I find it very unlikely that a person who has never worked in an industry, in this government, could come in and within a few weeks know exactly who to fire and what to cut in order to make things more efficient and effective. I think that takes a special kind of narcissism. I wouldn’t dream of coming into an electric vehicle company and think I had all the answers. Instead I would start by asking questions and learning. There were no questions asked and, if they were, the answers were not listened to. There was no curiosity about why things were done the way they were. There has only been a desire to destroy.

Rescission

Last week I talked about the recession package that the administration sent to the Hill. This bill would claw back over $8 billion in USAID programming that was already approved by Congress, codifying cuts made by DOGE. The House side voted on it Thursday and it passed 214-212. Although a disappointing outcome, there were 4 nay votes from Republicans despite pressure from the administration. In fact, if you watched the votes lives you could see that some GOP members flipped their votes from “no” to “yes” toward the end after realizing it wouldn’t pass otherwise. The bill still has to clear the Senate and we expect that vote next month.

Here are few of the cuts included in the rescission package:

• $500 million of global health programs including family planning, reproductive health, LGBTQ+ activities, and equity programs

• $400 million for controlling HIV/AIDS

• $800 million for migration and refugee assistance and overseas humanitarian assistance

AID on the Hill letter drop

This week the grassroots nonpartisan organization that I’m part of was once again on Capitol Hill. On Thursday, we dropped off around 150 letters from our friends, family, and other foreign aid supporters, and on the House side, pushed for a no vote on rescission. As a group we visited over 80 offices. I personally visited 9 offices including Representative Landsman from Ohio’s first district and both Ohio Senators, Husted and Moreno.

🚨 Action You Can Take

There are some super simple ways to let your members of Congress know that you support foreign assistance and don’t want your Senator to vote for rescission:

• 5 Calls: This website and app are a great, easy way to call your members of Congress on issues you care about. They offer a brief background and the latest updates on the issue and then provide a script you can use. There is even a one-click way to call your rep if you’re using the smart phone app. The script on USAID had dropped off their list, but we worked with them over the last week and it’s now back!

• USGLC: Use the U.S. Global Leadership Council’s form to let Congress know you oppose the cancellation of foreign assistance funds. This template focuses on the crucial role foreign assistance plays in America’s security.

• ELCA Advocacy: If you are one of my Lutheran friends or family members you may like the ELCA form. This template focuses on how these funds have sustained and saved millions of lives for decades.

📖 What I’m Reading and Watching

Politico: ‘It’s made up’: Democrats say Rubio isn’t playing it straight about foreign aid cuts

The administration has not provided any evidence that 85% of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) programming is still functioning. All programming was frozen in January and bit by bit pieces had to seek waivers to continue. In the meantime, the organizations that carry out the work had to fire staff and in many cases close down. Nearly 100% of staff at USAID were put on administrative leave and are unable to work. This is not a situation that is allowing programming to function as normal. PEPFAR was created by then-President George W. Bush and long enjoyed bipartisan support. It is largely considered to be the most successful goal health program ever.

ELCA Advocacy Here I Pod: The U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has provided essential medicine and care for over 25 million people living with HIV/AIDS

A quick minute and a half explainer on what PEPFAR is and how dangerous it is to lose its work

NPR: Palestinians say at least five people killed by Israeli gunfire near Gaza aid centers

The brand new Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF) was set up to replace a system coordinated by the United Nations and international aid groups, and is largely considered by humanitarian experts to be exactly everything humanitarian aid should not be. Recently people were killed near a GHF aid distribution point in central Gaza despite the fact that the sites were supposed to be open and safe at the time. The GHF requires beneficiaries to travel long and unsafe distances to collect food.

Welcome to my newsletter!

Welcome to the first of Gretchen’s Foreign Aid Updates. I am so glad you are interested in learning more about foreign assistance and hopefully taking action to support it. If you know of anyone else who may be interested please invite them to subscribe.

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Rescission

Up until now the administration has been unilaterally choosing to cancel foreign assistance programming already approved in law by Congress. However, that’s impoundment. The executive branch can’t make those decisions, because Congress holds the “power of the purse” and impoundment has been illegal since the Impoundment Control Act of 1974. That act does allow for the president to not spend funds Congress has appropriated, but they need to request a rescission or cancellation from Congress. The administration finally sent a recession request this week. In normal times, rescissions are rarely approved, but these are not normal times. The package crawls back $9.4 billion, $8.3 billion of which is foreign assistance. The remainder is funding for public media and the US Institute of Peace.

AID on the Hill letter drop

This week the grassroots nonpartisan organization that I’m part of will once again be at the Capitol. Thursday June 12 we will be dropping off letters from our friends, family, and other foreign aid supporters. These letters have been a great way to gain visibility as we show up in our USAID swag, get a literal foot in the door of offices, and start building relationships with Congressional staff.

🚨 Action You Can Take

Write a letter for drop off

As mentioned above, I will be visiting members of Congress this week as part of AID on the Hill. I would love to be able to drop off your letters! You can either

• Submit your letters using a google form (due Monday June 9!)

• Email your letters to congressaidletters@gmail.com (due Monday June 9!)

• Email your letters to me directly (due Wednesday June 11 by 10pm)

Don’t know what to write?! No problem!

• Use this template to get you started or

• Check out this AI assistant specifically built to help you write a USAID advocacy letter

Although physical letters are a great way for us to get into offices it is actually easier for offices to track issues if letters are submitted electronically. So after you send your letter please also find your members' websites and submit there as well.

Call your member of Congress to tell them to oppose rescission

Congress has 45 days to respond to the rescission request and we expect they will start taking action this week. So now is the time to call! Call the switchboard at 202-224-3121 or find your representative on the web. Here’s an example script:

Hi, my name is [YOUR NAME], and I'm a constituent from [CITY, STATE]. I'm calling to urge [Representative/Senator NAME] to vote NO on the current rescission package under consideration.

This proposal slashes critical aid, costs American jobs, and weakens U.S. security. It lets the Executive branch dismantle vital agencies and core services.

📖 What I’m Reading and Watching

Fox News: America needs to 'reform, not retreat' from global assistance programs, foreign policy organization says

The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC) has released a blueprint aimed at guiding the U.S. toward international assistance programs that help maintain American dominance on the world stage. The USGLC works for a strong international affairs budget that includes both diplomacy and development along with defense. Their blueprint highlights the importance of international assistance in today’s complex world and focuses on the private sector and staying competitive against rivals such as China and Russia.