Representatives from dozens of nonprofits participating in a large human rights conference in Taipei, Taiwan, woke up Thursday and destroyed the news. The night before, the Trump administration suddenly announced that it would end nearly 10,000 contracts and grants from the U.S. State Department, including the Office of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) and American International Development Agency,represent 90% United States Agency for International Development’s overall contract.
The news is the latest in a series of efforts by the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Administration Efficiency (DOGE) to reduce foreign aid in the United States, which has provided medical and humanitarian assistance to millions of people over decades. A letter sent from the USAID to the persons harvested by wires directed them to “immediately cease all activities, terminate all sub-announcements and contracts” and avoid incurring any additional costs, “exceeding the inevitable costs associated with this termination notice.”
Several digital and human rights groups who spoke with Taipei, least on condition of anonymity, fearing retribution from the Trump administration or its own administration, cuts undermine years of global democracy-building and free speech programs and put the lives and livelihoods of employees around the world at risk.
Now, many groups at Righcon, which is currently one of the largest annual events for human rights and technology accessed by nonprofit organizations, are focused on providing cybersecurity support to people such as journalists, activists and other vulnerable groups, such as protections for discussions with them and silent attacks. Without funding from the United States Agency for International Development and the State Department, this work may be stopped.
“The digital security ecosystem has completely collapsed for NGOs,” said Mohammed al-Maskati, assistant to the digital security hotline for Access Now, the director provides free digital security assistance to journalists, activists and civil society groups.
According to a Wired reviewed newsletter, a few days after the cancellation, some organizations will cause further confusion. It is unclear how the Trump administration determines which grants and organizations will be retained.
but Oppose executive orders Trump signed in late January. It applies to all programs of an organization, even if they do not all receive support from the United States. Failure to comply with this order may constitute a violation False Claims Actthe Trump administration warned in materials reviewed by Wired.
When Wired initially contacted the cancellation, a State Department representative said: “Each plan was reviewed with the aim of reorganizing aid to align with the government’s policy priorities. Programs serving the national interests will continue. However, programs that do not match our national interests will not.”
The State Council did not answer follow-up questions regarding the resumption of certain grants. USAID did not respond to a request for comment. exist Post on X On Monday, Elon Musk asserted: “No one died from foreign aid funds due to a brief pause, no one died. No one.” He classified Doge’s work at aid agencies more evident last month, which was a weekend.”Feed the USAID into a wood chipper. ”
