WSJ reported on officials' shock over Trump's suspension of foreign aid

US President Donald Trump's decision to suspend foreign aid has caused surprise and shock on the part of US officials. The Wall Street Journal reported on January 28.

"Today, everyone I know's hair stood on end and their jaw dropped," the newspaper quoted Jeremy Konindyke, head of the human rights organization Refugees International and a former USAID employee, as saying.

According to the newspaper, these measures have shocked officials and aid workers who believe that freezing about $60 billion could harm critical programs in foreign countries. In addition, it may provide an opportunity for China and other political rivals to dislodge Washington from the position of a reliable partner of the states.

It is also specified that a number of officials associated with foreign aid have sent requests to the United States State Department to withdraw their programs due to the fact that the refusal to continue supplies poses a risk to human lives.

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The day before, on 25 January, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) froze programs to support foreign countries, including Ukraine. It is specified that this instruction does not affect only military aid to Egypt and Israel.

At the same time, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio suspended the financing of foreign aid programs for 90 days. In addition to Ukraine, this decision affected such US allies as Jordan and Taiwan. The change, continuation or closure of the programs will take place exclusively by order of the Secretary of State.

On January 21, Trump suspended US development assistance to other countries for 90 days by executive order. The rationale is that the "foreign aid industry" is not in Washington's interests, often contradicts U.S. values, and supports destabilization in the world.