WASHINGTON: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been forced to halt its funding for thousands of journalists, independent news outlets, and civil society organisations across 30 countries following an executive order by US President Donald Trump suspending foreign aid for 90 days.
The move, which is expected to have far-reaching consequences for media independence globally, has drawn sharp criticism from press freedom advocates, including Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
According to a USAID fact sheet, which has since been taken offline, the agency provided financial assistance to 6,200 journalists, 707 independent news media organisations, and 279 media-focused civil society groups in 2023.
Meanwhile, USAID’s website has been offline since Saturday.
Additionally, the 2025 foreign aid budget had included $268.3 million earmarked by Congress to support independent media and the free flow of information. However, RSF reported that these funds are now caught in the aid freeze, leaving recipients uncertain about their future.
RSF denounced the decision, stating that it has plunged media outlets and journalists into “chaotic uncertainty.” The organisation noted that many beneficiaries of USAID funding were hesitant to speak publicly about the impact of the freeze due to fears of political retaliation or jeopardising future funding.
The freeze has already had a significant impact in Ukraine, where RSF reported that 90 percent of news organisations rely on USAID funding.
Anna Babinets, co-founder of investigative media outlet Slidstvo.Info, said as cited by RSF that 80 percent of their budget has been affected, adding that without USAID support, Ukrainian media outlets may face financial collapse or become vulnerable to influence from foreign interests.
The suspension of aid has also disrupted media operations in Africa and Asia. Investigative platform DataCameroon revealed that it had to suspend projects related to journalist safety and election coverage due to funding uncertainty.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the Trump administration defended the decision, saying, “For decades, USAID bureaucrats believed they were accountable to no one – but that era is over. President Trump is STOPPING the waste, fraud, and abuse.”
Elon Musk, who has been appointed to lead the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, also weighed in on X, calling USAID a “criminal organisation” and stating, “We’re shutting down.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio later announced that he had been named acting director of USAID, suggesting that its functions may be absorbed into the State Department.
The Columbia Journalism Review (CJR) noted that while USAID’s media funding should be subject to scrutiny, freezing funds could have severe implications for journalists covering critical geopolitical issues.
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RSF further warned that the suspension of USAID support could leave independent media vulnerable to financial collapse or co-option by authoritarian regimes.
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has described the United States as the world’s largest provider of official development assistance, with much of its support channelled through USAID.
The agency, which operates with an annual budget of tens of billions of dollars and employs approximately 10,000 people worldwide, has played a significant role in supporting independent media as part of its democracy and governance assistance programmes since the 1980s.
