WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is canceling humanitarian aid programs it previously identified as lifesaving, according to an internal State Department email obtained by The Atlantic, a move that could sharply reduce U.S. assistance to vulnerable populations abroad.
The internal message, made public by The Atlantic on Tuesday, says the new round of cuts will reportedly end all U.S. humanitarian funding in seven African countries. The email characterizes the affected programs as lifesaving before notifying colleagues that they would be canceled.
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Details released so far are limited. What is clear from the document obtained by The Atlantic:
- An internal State Department email informed staff that multiple humanitarian programs would be canceled.
- The programs had previously been designated by U.S. officials as lifesaving.
- The cuts reportedly include the complete cessation of U.S. humanitarian funding in seven African countries, according to the reporting.
The decision represents a significant shift in U.S. aid priorities at a moment when humanitarian needs across regions including parts of Africa remain acute. Humanitarian programs that deliver food, medical care, shelter and other emergency assistance are often funded through a mix of government and nongovernmental channels; abrupt U.S. funding withdrawals can disrupt operations and planning for aid groups on the ground.
The State Department email obtained by The Atlantic does not list the specific countries affected or outline the administration’s rationale for the cancellations. Nor does the reporting include an immediate response from the State Department or from affected aid organizations.
The move follows earlier actions by the administration that have reshaped foreign assistance priorities. U.S. humanitarian funding has historically played an outsized role in responding to emergency needs around the world; any reduction in those resources tends to ripple through international relief systems that rely on predictable donor commitments.
Advocates and relief agencies will likely press for details about transition plans and possible mitigation measures for vulnerable populations if the cuts are implemented. For now, the primary public record is the internal email cited by The Atlantic and the administration’s broader policy decisions on foreign assistance.
This is a developing story. News organizations are seeking further confirmation and comment from the State Department and humanitarian groups about which programs and countries are affected and what immediate impacts may follow.
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