Kamlager-Dove Alarmed by Destructive Foreign Aid Freeze

LOS ANGELES, CA — Today, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on South and Central Asia, released the following statement on Donald Trump's foreign assistance freeze:

"In his first week in office, Donald Trump took a hammer to our foreign policy institutions by ordering an abrupt 90-day pause on foreign assistance. This drastic move is a gross abandonment of our own interests, day-one gift to our competitors, and a devastating blow to the world’s most vulnerable populations.

"U.S. foreign aid comprises less than 1% of the overall federal budget but punches far above its weight in ensuring our own security and prosperity. Foreign assistance counters violent extremism before it reaches our homeland, addresses the root causes of migration to our border, stops disease outbreaks before they become pandemics, and creates reliable regulatory environments for U.S. businesses operating overseas. Abruptly stopping these programs weakens our ability to build influence abroad and leaves Americans vulnerable to the impacts of global crises. It also guts U.S. credibility as a partner of choice for countries around the world, ceding our advantage to our competitors.

"This pause is being felt as an act of cruelty around the world. Amid multiple global conflicts, halting all foreign assistance rips away a critical lifeline for vulnerable populations and jeopardizes the safety of Americans abroad. It is not only unconscionable, but actively destructive to our long-term interests.

"These actions will not go unnoticed by our allies or our adversaries—and they must not go unnoticed at home. If Donald Trump wants to truly put America First, he must reverse course and immediately resume these essential foreign assistance programs."

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