Project 2025: An all-out assault on U.S. Development Assistance

Introduction

Since January 20, 2025, the Trump administration has initiated a comprehensive restructuring of U.S. foreign aid policies, aligning them with the objectives outlined in Mandate for Leadership 2025: The Conservative Promise (Project 2025). The administration's approach prioritizes national security, economic self-sufficiency, and ideological realignment of foreign assistance programs. The following document provides an in-depth analysis of executive orders issued and their implications for USAID and broader U.S. development assistance strategies.

1. Restructuring USAID and Aligning It with U.S. Foreign Policy

• Executive Orders:
  • "Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid" (January 20, 2025)
  • "Reorganizing Foreign Assistance to Prioritize American Interests" (January 25, 2025)
• Key Directives:
  • A 90-day review of all U.S. foreign aid programs to assess alignment with national interests (Executive Order, p. 2).
  • Suspension of most aid programs, except for emergency food assistance and military aid to key allies (Executive Order, p. 3).
  • Strengthening the role of the USAID Administrator by integrating their position with the Director of Foreign Assistance at the State Department (Executive Order, p. 4).
  • Consolidation of redundant foreign aid programs and reduction in funding for multilateral aid initiatives (Executive Order, p. 5).
• Alignment with Project 2025:
  • "USAID must be stripped of its status as an independent foreign policy actor and be firmly placed under the authority of the Secretary of State." (Project 2025, p. 312)
  • "The end goal of U.S. foreign aid should be to diminish its necessity." (Project 2025, p. 314)

2. Countering China’s Global Influence

• Executive Orders:
  • "America First Policy Directive to the Secretary of State" (January 20, 2025)
  • "Countering China's Economic Expansion through Foreign Aid Realignment" (January 28, 2025)
• Key Directives:
  • Redirection of USAID funding toward programs that directly counter China's Belt and Road Initiative (Executive Order, p. 3).
  • Strengthening of economic and security alliances with key strategic partners such as Japan, Taiwan, Israel, and the UAE (Executive Order, p. 5).
  • Implementation of funding restrictions to prevent USAID support for organizations affiliated with Chinese state-backed entities (Executive Order, p. 6).
• Alignment with Project 2025:
  • "USAID should focus its resources on countering China’s influence across the developing world." (Project 2025, p. 320)
  • "The Clear Choice initiative must be revived to provide viable alternatives to predatory Chinese investment." (Project 2025, p. 321)

3. Climate Policy Rollback

• Executive Orders:
  • "Unleashing American Energy" (January 20, 2025)
  • "Revoking Climate-Centric Foreign Assistance Programs" (February 1, 2025)
• Key Directives:
  • USAID funding for climate-related initiatives is deprioritized in favor of energy security and economic growth programs (Executive Order, p. 2).
  • Increased support for fossil fuel exploration and development projects in Africa, Latin America, and Asia (Executive Order, p. 4).
  • Withdrawal from international climate agreements that impose financial obligations on the United States (Executive Order, p. 5).
• Alignment with Project 2025:
  • "USAID must abandon its obsession with climate change and focus on real economic development." (Project 2025, p. 325)
  • "Developing countries should not be coerced into adopting renewable energy policies that stunt economic growth." (Project 2025, p. 327)

4. Establishing a Clear 'America First' Foreign Assistance Doctrine

• Executive Orders:
  • "Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid" (January 20, 2025)
  • "Reorganizing Foreign Assistance to Prioritize American Interests" (January 25, 2025)
• Key Directives:
  • "All U.S. foreign assistance shall be aligned under the Secretary of State’s coordination, direction, and supervision, as appropriate, consistent with section 622(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and section 1523 of the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 (FARRA) within 180 days" (Memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, January 24, 2025, p. 2).
  • "No new obligations shall be made for foreign assistance until such time as the Secretary shall determine, following a review." (Memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, January 24, 2025, p. 3).
• Alignment with Project 2025:
  • "A new, clearly articulated doctrine should govern all foreign aid decisions, making it unequivocally clear that U.S. taxpayer dollars serve American strategic and economic interests first." (Project 2025, p. 311)
  • "All foreign assistance must be scrutinized to ensure that it does not duplicate efforts, remains effective, and aligns with the President’s foreign policy." (Project 2025, p. 312)

5. Reforming Humanitarian Aid and Development Assistance

• Executive Order: "Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid" (January 20, 2025)
• Key Directives:
  • Reduction of aid to countries with high corruption levels or those engaged in prolonged conflicts (Executive Order, p. 4).
  • Shift in focus toward short-term emergency relief rather than sustained long-term assistance (Executive Order, p. 5).
  • Increased scrutiny of foreign aid recipients to minimize corruption and misallocation of funds (Executive Order, p. 6).
• Alignment with Project 2025:
  • "The U.S. should move away from indefinite humanitarian aid and focus on disaster response and immediate relief." (Project 2025, p. 335)
  • "Foreign aid should be a tool for advancing U.S. interests, not an entitlement for failed states." (Project 2025, p. 336)

6. Strengthening Religious Freedom in Foreign Assistance

• Executive Order: "Protecting Religious Freedom in International Assistance Programs" (January 22, 2025)
• Key Directives:
  • Expansion of faith-based partnerships in USAID programming (Executive Order, p. 2).
  • Removal of funding restrictions for religious organizations involved in humanitarian and development work (Executive Order, p. 3).
  • Prohibition of discrimination against faith-based entities in USAID’s grant-making process (Executive Order, p. 4).
• Alignment with Project 2025:
  • "Faith-based organizations have been sidelined for too long. They must be prioritized in U.S. assistance programs." (Project 2025, p. 338)
  • "Restoring religious freedom as a fundamental consideration in foreign aid decisions will ensure that U.S. funding supports moral and ethical development initiatives." (Project 2025, p. 339)

7. Streamlining Procurement and Reducing Dependence on Large NGOs

• Executive Order: "Enhancing Partnerships with Local and Faith-Based Organizations" (January 23, 2025)
• Key Directives:
  • Expansion of the New Partnership Initiative (NPI) to facilitate funding access for smaller, local NGOs (Executive Order, p. 2).
  • Reduction of USAID’s dependence on multinational NGOs and UN agencies (Executive Order, p. 3).
  • Streamlining procurement processes to favor localized solutions over large-scale international contracts (Executive Order, p. 4).
• Alignment with Project 2025:
  • "Strengthening grassroots engagement through direct funding to community-based organizations will ensure more effective aid delivery." (Project 2025, p. 341)
  • "Reducing the influence of large multinational NGOs will allow local partners to take ownership of their own development priorities." (Project 2025, p. 342)

8. Strengthening U.S. Private-Sector Engagement in Development

• Executive Order: "Promoting Private Investment in International Development" (January 24, 2025)
• Key Directives:
  • Greater collaboration between USAID and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) (Executive Order, p. 2).
  • Increased incentives for private-sector investment in development projects (Executive Order, p. 3).
  • Shift from grant-based aid to business investments (Executive Order, p. 4).
• Alignment with Project 2025:
  • "Encouraging market-driven solutions to global development challenges will reduce dependence on taxpayer-funded assistance." (Project 2025, p. 345)
  • "Expanding private sector-led economic development will foster more sustainable outcomes in recipient countries." (Project 2025, p. 346)

9. Revamping USAID’s Operations and Personnel Management

• Executive Order: "Reforming the Federal Hiring Process and Restoring Merit to Government Service" (January 20, 2025)
• Key Directives:
  • Reduction of DEI hiring criteria in federal employment (Executive Order, p. 2).
  • Increased hiring of veterans and faith-based professionals in USAID (Executive Order, p. 3).
  • Restructuring of USAID’s leadership to align with new foreign aid priorities (Executive Order, p. 4).
• Alignment with Project 2025:
  • "The principle of merit-based hiring should be restored across all federal agencies, including USAID." (Project 2025, p. 350)
  • "Dismantling ideological hiring preferences will improve efficiency and accountability in development assistance programs." (Project 2025, p. 351)

10. Regional-Specific Policy Recommendations

• Executive Orders:
  • "Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program" (January 20, 2025)
  • "Protecting the American People Against Invasion" (January 20, 2025)
• Key Directives:
  • Adjustments to refugee admissions to prioritize individuals from regions of strategic interest (Executive Order, p. 2).
  • Border security reforms affecting Latin American aid policies (Executive Order, p. 3).
  • Restriction of aid to countries not aligned with U.S. strategic interests (Executive Order, p. 4).
• Alignment with Project 2025:
  • "Foreign assistance must be leveraged to incentivize cooperation on border security and immigration control." (Project 2025, p. 355)
  • "The United States must prioritize assistance to countries that share our values and strategic goals." (Project 2025, p. 356)

11. Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion Policies

• Executive Orders & Directives:
  • "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government" (January 22, 2025) – Defines sex as an immutable biological classification and eliminates federal recognition of gender identity (Executive Order: Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism, p. 3).
  • "Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity" (January 27, 2025) – Eliminates DEI criteria in hiring and grantmaking at USAID and other federal agencies (Executive Order: Ending Illegal Discrimination, p. 4).
  • "Reforming the Federal Hiring Process and Restoring Merit to Government Service" (January 30, 2025) – Prohibits USAID from funding gender identity-based programs, LGBTQ+ advocacy, or gender-affirming care initiatives (Executive Order: Reforming Federal Hiring, p. 6).
  • "Memorandum for the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development" (January 24, 2025) – Reinstates the Mexico City Policy, restricting U.S. funds for NGOs that provide or promote abortion services (The Memorandum, p. 2).
  • "Renewed Membership in the Geneva Consensus Declaration on Promoting Women’s Health and Strengthening the Family" (January 24, 2025) – Affirms U.S. commitment to policies rejecting an international right to abortion and promoting traditional family values (Presidential Statement on Geneva Consensus, p. 1).
• Key Directives:
  • Elimination of USAID policies supporting gender ideology and LGBTQ+ rights in foreign assistance programs (Executive Order: Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism, p. 5).
  • Ban on the use of U.S. foreign aid to support organizations that advocate for or provide abortion services abroad (The Memorandum, p. 3).
  • USAID-directed shift in gender-related programming to prioritize biological women's economic empowerment and maternal health over gender identity policies (Presidential Statement on Geneva Consensus, p. 2).
  • Prohibition of USAID funding for projects advancing gender-inclusive terminology in legal and educational systems abroad (Executive Order: Ending Illegal Discrimination, p. 6).
• Alignment with Project 2025:
  • "USAID must return to prioritizing traditional family structures as the foundation for stable societies." (Project 2025, p. 350)
  • "Radical gender ideology must be removed from all foreign assistance programs." (Project 2025, p. 351)
  • "U.S. taxpayer funds should never be used to promote abortion or undermine pro-life values abroad." (Project 2025, p. 352)
  • "Merit-based hiring and funding should replace DEI-focused policies that prioritize identity politics over competency." (Project 2025, p. 354)

12. Outstanding Elements Yet to Be Implemented

While substantial progress has been made in aligning USAID’s structure and policies with the recommendations outlined in Project 2025, several key proposals remain unimplemented or only partially addressed:

1. Full Integration of USAID into the State Department

• While steps have been taken to consolidate USAID’s leadership under the Secretary of State, it remains an independent agency.
• Project 2025 recommends that "USAID should be fully subsumed into the Department of State to ensure direct oversight and policy alignment." (Project 2025, p. 310)

2. Termination of USAID Funding to UN-Linked Agencies

• The current administration has reduced contributions to multilateral organizations, but full defunding of agencies like UNICEF, WHO, and UNDP remains incomplete.
• "U.S. foreign aid must not be funneled through UN agencies that undermine American sovereignty and values." (Project 2025, p. 318)
• The Executive Order: "Withdrawing the United States from the World Health Organization" (January 20, 2025) initiated the process of exiting the WHO. However, the U.S. has not yet met the withdrawal conditions, which require one year of advance notice and full payment of outstanding dues (Executive Order, p. 3).
• "For the United States to fully withdraw, all outstanding obligations to the WHO must be met in accordance with international agreements, a process that remains incomplete as of this analysis." (Executive Order, p. 5)

3. Comprehensive Overhaul of USAID Granting and Procurement Process

• Although priority has been given to faith-based and local organizations, the procurement process still favors large international NGOs in many areas.
• Project 2025 calls for "a total restructuring of USAID’s grant-making process to dismantle the monopoly of entrenched international NGOs and prioritize direct, results-oriented funding mechanisms." (Project 2025, p. 322)

4. Full Revocation of All Climate-Related Funding within USAID

• Climate-related programs have been deprioritized, but not all funding has been rescinded. Some contracts and initiatives remain active.
• "USAID must terminate all climate funding agreements established under previous administrations and redirect resources toward energy independence projects." (Project 2025, p. 326)

5. Greater Reduction of Foreign Aid to Non-Ally States

• Despite reductions in foreign assistance to adversarial regimes, aid continues to flow to countries that do not align with U.S. strategic priorities.
• "U.S. taxpayers should not subsidize governments that fail to support American leadership on the global stage." (Project 2025, p. 334)

These unimplemented elements indicate ongoing policy adjustments that may be addressed in subsequent administrative actions. Continued tracking of executive orders and USAID policy changes will be necessary to evaluate progress in fully aligning with Project 2025.

Conclusion

The Trump administration has undertaken substantial reforms to refocus USAID’s mission on national interest-driven policies. These reforms have significantly altered foreign assistance frameworks by prioritizing economic self-sufficiency, private-sector development, and religious liberty. The changes reflect the objectives outlined in Project 2025, marking a departure from previous humanitarian and ideological aid approaches. Future policy adjustments and their long-term impact remain subjects of close observation.