The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), one of the largest official aid agencies in the world, has been instructed to stop projects following a 90-day foreign aid freeze imposed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The measure affects dozens of independent media outlets in more than 30 countries, deprived of U.S. support programs to strengthen journalistic professionalism, establish media management skills, and promote free and independent media. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) is calling on all potential European donors to take action to compensate for the US withdrawal, in particular to ensure the survival of Ukrainian media and the network of Belarusian journalists in exile.
As a consequence of U.S. President Trump’s executive order on reevaluating and realigning United States Foreign Aid, Secretary Rubio has paused all U.S. foreign assistance funded by or through the State Department (DRL, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor) and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for review. The sweeping directive took immediate effect on 24 January. It includes all current funding as well as calls for applications.
“Every dollar we spend, every program we fund, and every policy we pursue must be justified with the answer to three simple questions,” said Rubio on 26 January: “Does it make America safer? Does it make America stronger? Does it make America more prosperous?”
In Ukraine, the U.S. freeze has left hundreds of foreign aid contracts, valued at over $70 billion in limbo as a review process unfolds over the next 85 days. “The situation with USAID funding uncertainties is deeply concerning for the Ukrainian media sector,” reacted Sergiy Tomilenko, President of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) and member of the EFJ Steering Committee. “Many Ukrainian media outlets and journalists have received vital support through U.S. assistance programs, which have been crucial for maintaining independent journalism during wartime. At this critical time, we call upon our international partners, especially from European countries, to strengthen their support for the Ukrainian media sector. Sustainable, independent media is essential for Ukraine’s democracy and our path toward European integration.”
The operations of Belarusian journalists’ networks in exile are also threatened by the freezing of U.S. aid. They too are calling on European donors to mobilise. The EFJ also learned on Tuesday that major international programmes dedicated to the safety of journalists are also affected by the US decision.
“It seems clear that Donald Trump is determined to reshape the U.S. foreign aid apparatus into the mold of his “America First” agenda, causing chaos in the media ecosystem of over thirty countries around the world, including many European countries,” said EFJ President Maja Sever. “We call on European institutions and foundations to mobilise and coordinate their actions to safeguard media pluralism and support independent journalism as the best antidote to disinformation. The European Union and other donors cannot abandon to their fate journalists who are the best bulwark for defending the rule of law and democracy in countries where they are under threat”.
The suerce and photo: EFJ
