The Trump Doctrine on Aid: From Reform to Ruin - Michael Igoe, Elissa Miolene, and Adva Saldinger / Devex
Shared by Tom McDermott
We don't often think of the first Trump administration as one showing good foreign policy. This argues that in fact the administration accomplished quite a few very positive steps. The real mystery is why he so quickly threw away that legacy at the outset of his second administration.
Click here for the article
Summary
This article contrasts President Donald Trump’s first and second terms through the lens of U.S. foreign aid policy. In his first term, Trump’s administration pursued extensive reforms at USAID, including a historic reorganization aimed at fostering country self-reliance and working collaboratively with Congress. Initiatives such as Ivanka Trump’s gender programs and labor rights funding for Mexico were once central. But these efforts have now been dismantled.
Prosper Africa, a flagship economic partnership with the continent, was suspended amid the broader disbanding of USAID in Trump’s second term. The article attributes this dramatic shift to a chaotic decision-making style, devoid of structured analysis. What was once a reformist agenda has devolved into a campaign of destruction, executed by the hastily deployed Department of Government Efficiency.
Quotes
“That legacy is in tatters, along with USAID.”
“Today, even the word ‘gender’ is radioactive.”
“Prosper Africa… helped close 1,852 deals across 49 countries worth $86 billion during the previous four years.”
“With USAID’s dismantling, Prosper Africa’s operations have been suspended and its staff let go.”
“It is a foreign policy run on Red Bull and vodka. You have no idea what these guys are going to come up with next.” ``` --- Let me know if you'd like a blog image suggestion or an HTML variant with inline styles for enhanced formatting.
We don't often think of the first Trump administration as one showing good foreign policy. This argues that in fact the administration accomplished quite a few very positive steps. The real mystery is why he so quickly threw away that legacy at the outset of his second administration.
Click here for the article
Summary
This article contrasts President Donald Trump’s first and second terms through the lens of U.S. foreign aid policy. In his first term, Trump’s administration pursued extensive reforms at USAID, including a historic reorganization aimed at fostering country self-reliance and working collaboratively with Congress. Initiatives such as Ivanka Trump’s gender programs and labor rights funding for Mexico were once central. But these efforts have now been dismantled.
Prosper Africa, a flagship economic partnership with the continent, was suspended amid the broader disbanding of USAID in Trump’s second term. The article attributes this dramatic shift to a chaotic decision-making style, devoid of structured analysis. What was once a reformist agenda has devolved into a campaign of destruction, executed by the hastily deployed Department of Government Efficiency.
Quotes
“That legacy is in tatters, along with USAID.”
“Today, even the word ‘gender’ is radioactive.”
“Prosper Africa… helped close 1,852 deals across 49 countries worth $86 billion during the previous four years.”
“With USAID’s dismantling, Prosper Africa’s operations have been suspended and its staff let go.”
“It is a foreign policy run on Red Bull and vodka. You have no idea what these guys are going to come up with next.” ``` --- Let me know if you'd like a blog image suggestion or an HTML variant with inline styles for enhanced formatting.
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