Early this morning, the Senate passed the $9 billion rescissions package by a narrow 51–48 vote. Among the cuts were over $8.3 billion in foreign assistance, devastating setbacks for American global leadership and life-saving programs around the world. And yet, in the face of long odds and intense political pressure, we stood tall. We came within a single Senate vote of stopping the entire package from heading to the President’s desk.

This is what people power looks like.

Thanks to you, the Alliance for American Leadership mobilized a campaign unlike anything seen before on this issue. We built advocacy briefs for all 50 states. We met with congressional offices. We held volunteer calls, hosted Hill meetings, organized text and phone banks, and flooded LinkedIn with 50 posts about the economic impact on every state.

We united bipartisan voices. And because of our work, the White House was forced to reverse course and preserve $400 million in funding for PEPFAR. PEPFAR has saved 26 million lives since it began 2 decades ago. Saving PPEFAR is a monumental win, made possible by your advocacy.

The passage of this rescissions package is a major setback, but it is not the end. It’s proof that our movement matters. We showed up. Our voices, and the voices of illegally fired workers and families, were heard. And we made a difference. We showed that foreign assistance is not a forgotten issue. It is a national priority. It is a voting issue. It is a moral issue. And most importantly, it’s a local issue.

Because of this bill, essential foreign assistance programs will be shut down. Thousands of federal workers, academic researchers, non-profits and farmers will lose vital benefits and economic benefits of engaging in international assistance programs. Millions of lives hang in the balance across the globe.

The legislation will now go back to the House for a final vote. If passed, this will solidify cuts to the majority of international assistance programs, dedicated federal workers at USAID and the Department of State, and threaten more than 14 million lives across the globe.

All Representatives need to hear from their constituents, but Representatives Amodei, Fitzpatrick, Malliotakis, and Turner need to be encouraged to vote “no” again. Representatives Bacon and LaLota initially voted “no” on rescissions, but then changed to “yes” votes at the last minute, helping the legislation pass.

Other Republican Representatives traditionally supportive of foreign assistance who need to hear from you include: Kim (CA), McCaul (TX), Baumgartner (WA), Hill (AR), Joyce (OH), Kean (NJ), Lawler (NY), Miller (OH), Miller-Meeks (IA), Moore (UT), Smith (NJ), and Wagner (MO).

The Alliance will be partnering with our local advocates to make phone calls, meet with staff, and encourage the House of Representatives to vote NO on the upcoming rescissions vote.

To every volunteer, donor, staffer, and advisor who stepped up, thank you. You showed what American leadership looks like. You proved that advocacy matters and makes a practical difference. You gave your time, your energy, and your voice, and America is better off for it.

We are not alone. We are growing. And together, we will win.

With resolve,
Asher Moss

The Global South stands at the center of a rapidly evolving strategic competition between the United States and the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The current conflict paradigm between the U.S. and the PRC is multidimensional, waged across economic, industrial, diplomatic, informational, and military domains. Over the previous two decades, the PRC has pursued its objectives using asymmetric, indirect, and non-kinetic means of conflict against the United States in the Indo-Pacific, Latin America, and Africa. The role of foreign aid is often overlooked in discussions regarding U.S.-China rivalry. This report argues that foreign aid is a key domain of competition between the U.S. and China for influence in the Global South.

The PRC has long portrayed itself as the unofficial leader and primus inter pares of the Global South, but the twenty-first century has seen Beijing match the rhetoric of Third Worldism with unprecedented levels of investment and rapid construction of South-South projects and partnerships. These developments should alarm the United States, as they represent a deliberate attempt to limit America’s power projection potential, disrupt America’s integrated network of alliances and bilateral partnerships, and undermine the rules-based international order. Increased strategic investment in the Global South is not only a humanitarian imperative but a geopolitical necessity for the United States.

China's Strategy in the Global South

The PRC is actively pursuing four strategic objectives in the Global South:

1. Securing access to strategic resources, markets, and trade routes;

2. Building political capital and influence within key Global South countries;

3. Supporting an alternative model of global development and governance that conforms to the PRC’s interests;

4. Challenging American influence.

The PRC’s foreign aid program is a core component of these broader strategic ambitions. What began as an ideological project aimed at cultivating solidarity with the Third World has evolved into an effective geopolitical instrument designed to expand China’s global reach and shift the global balance of power in its favor. Chinese foreign assistance programs are coordinated by the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), whose policies are overwhelmingly guided by Chinese foreign policy and national security concerns, rather than purely economic or humanitarian incentives. 

The Evolution of Chinese Foreign Aid

China’s foreign aid program has undergone a dramatic transformation since the founding of the People’s Republic in 1949. During the Mao era (1949–1976), foreign aid focused on supporting revolutionary governments and developing cadre networks across what was then known as the “Third World,” reflecting Mao’s own “Three Worlds Theory” of international relations. China’s approach was rooted in revolutionary solidarity and its struggle to compete with both the United States and the Soviet Union for influence among non-aligned and developing nations.

As the Chinese system evolved during the 1980s under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping and Hua Guofeng, the PRC abandoned doctrinaire notions of radical self-reliance and imperialist encirclement. Internal economic reforms were reflected in changes to the PRC’s foreign policy, as Beijing adopted a more pragmatic and commercially oriented approach to foreign assistance. The post Mao era of Chinese foreign policy has also been characterized by its formulation of an alternative model of development for the Global South – sometimes referred to as the “Beijing Consensus" or “China Model” – which stands in opposition to the open, market-oriented policies promoted by American-based institutions such as the IMF, MCC, World Bank, and the U.S. Treasury.

Since 2000, China has invested hundreds of billions of dollars in foreign assistance projects throughout the Global South, funding transportation infrastructure, telecommunications, heavy industry, water, and resource extraction. The launch of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013 marked a turning point in the history of Chinese foreign aid. The BRI aimed to construct overland trade corridors across Eurasia and secure maritime trade routes connecting China with Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. As of 2025, the BRI counts over 150 countries as members, representing 75 per cent of the world's population and over 50 per cent of global GDP. Projects such as the BRI have deepened China’s economic interdependence with key regional powers and expanded Beijing’s political leverage in key multilateral institutions. Today, China is the leading provider of bilateral development financing in the Global South. Its foreign assistance strategy has had tangible effects on the global balance of power, especially in regions where U.S. engagement has diminished in recent years.

Chinese foreign aid in Africa is the key instrument of its growing influence over the continent. The relationship between China and Africa dates back to the 1950s. African countries were among the first states to receive Chinese foreign aid after the founding of the People’s Republic in 1949. Today, Africa is the primary destination for Chinese development aid. China views Africa as a geopolitical “pivot area” within its growing global economic and security architecture, due to Africa’s vast resources and geographic position as a gateway linking Europe, the Middle East, and Asia through the BRI. Since 2000, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has been the official institution responsible for Chinese foreign assistance and development coordination with Africa. FOCAC sets the overall agenda and priorities for China-Africa engagement, including development assistance, trade, infrastructure, and government capacity building. 

At the most recent FOCAC summit in September 2024, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced a $50 billion increase in foreign aid to Africa. This expanded aid package includes a mix of grants, infrastructure investment, education programs, and humanitarian initiatives. It also reflects an emerging trend: China is leveraging its growing financial might to target regions where the United States has disengaged—particularly in Africa and Latin America. The PRC’s investment in foreign assistance isn’t a purely economic consideration; it is a deliberate attempt to build political capital in the Global South and promote an alternative vision of global governance and development. 

A Strategic Opportunity for the United States

The United States can counter China’s expansion in the Global South through greater levels of direct investment and development assistance. U.S. foreign aid targeted at the Global South must at least match the scale of China’s but also exceed it in terms of quality, transparency, and long-term results. The U.S. would benefit from expanding its engagement with the Global South through multilateral institutions and forums such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, and regional development banks. These institutions prioritize the transparency and responsible governance mechanisms that distinguish U.S. foreign assistance from opaque and predatory Chinese deals. American policymakers should draw upon experience gathered from successful U.S.-Africa foreign aid initiatives, such the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the Electrify Africa Act, and PEPFAR. The U.S. must also invest locally, cultivating autonomous networks from indigenous structures that already exist in situ. 

The United States must continue prioritizing foreign assistance that advances democratic governance, economic growth, and global health. However, achieving these goals requires fresh thinking about the geopolitical role of foreign aid. Although foreign aid accounts for less than one percent of the U.S. budget, it remains a contentious issue in public discourse. America's foreign aid policies must be able to withstand scrutiny by aligning American principles with evolving strategic imperatives. This includes building sustainable partnerships across the Global South based on mutual benefit, not dependency. Going forward, existing institutions such as the Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) can play a leading role in the implementation of America’s strategic foreign assistance agenda—one designed to advance American interests through development financing, securing energy flows and supply chains, building critical infrastructure, and expanding trade in critical regions throughout the Global South where China is actively seeking to expand its influence. U.S. foreign assistance should be deployed with clear performance metrics tied to recipients’ openness to U.S. investment and alignment with U.S. national security priorities. This approach ensures that foreign aid recipients are genuine partners with shared strategic priorities. 

Conclusion

As China continues to expand its influence across the Global South through foreign aid and development financing, the United States faces a historic challenge and a geostrategic opportunity. By reinvigorating its foreign assistance programs and reaffirming its commitment to sustainable global development, the U.S. can reestablish its role as the preeminent global superpower, counter the PRC’s authoritarian model, and reinforce the rules-based international order. In this new era of multidimensional strategic competition, foreign assistance is not merely charity—it is a powerful tool of statecraft and a key front in the battle against China’s expansion.

As Co-Chair of the Advisory Board for the Alliance for American Leadership (A4AL), I want to sincerely thank you for your support after the resounding success of our inaugural Launch Party in Washington, D.C. last night. 107 people attended despite the thunderstorms, and James Walkinshaw, our close ally and Congress' next great champion of foreign aid, delivered an inspiring speech!

Our mission is urgent and clear: make foreign aid a priority issue for every member of Congress. With your support, we’ve already begun building a movement that reaches across 39 states and includes over 500 campaign volunteers and field directors.

I believe deeply in the work we’re doing. I believe we have a responsibility to act - and to act now. That’s why I’ve joined our Executive Director, Asher Moss, in personally making the maximum contribution of $5,000 to support this cause.

Now, I’m inviting you to join us in this critical mission.

Whether you can contribute $5, $25, $100, or more, your donation directly supports our work organizing in 39 states, briefing lawmakers, and powering campaigns to make foreign assistance not just good policy, but good politics.

Make a Contribution

If you missed the launch, or want to relive the moment, you can watch the full video here: A4AL DC Launch Party

This work is already having an impact. Just two days ago, our advocates met with the offices of Senators Tillis, Collins, Moody, and Cornyn. Yesterday, Senators Tillis and Collins publicly referenced the very talking points we shared with their teams.

Read the Punchbowl News article featuring our advocacy

We are building something real, and you are part of it.

Click here to read more about our impact thus far. Whether you’re already deeply involved in our efforts or would like to get more involved, as a campaign volunteer, intern, policy advisor, field director, state chair, or member of our Advisory Board, I’d love to hear from you directly.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at joelstennett@a4al.org.

With appreciation and resolve,
Joel Stennett
Co-Chair of the Advisory Board
Alliance for American Leadership

President Donald Trump’s allies in the Senate are warning their GOP colleagues that failing to pass the White House’s $9 billion-plus rescissions package would embarrass the president and show Republicans aren’t serious about reducing federal spending.

There’s cautious optimism among party leaders that the Senate can pass a rescissions bill. But the number of GOP holdouts and the scope of their concerns could force Republicans to significantly water down what’s already a relatively tiny pool of spending cuts. So the “shaming” period of the whip effort is well underway.

Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said Tuesday that if Senate Republicans can’t pass a bill by next week’s deadline, the White House will “go nuts” and there will be “another Trump eruption.”

“If the Republicans in the United States Senate do not pass the rescissions package after all the rhetoric about reducing spending, then they should hide their head in a bag,” Kennedy told reporters. “And I think the White House will provide the bag.”

Kennedy’s warning was a reminder that, even after Republicans met Trump’s July 4 deadline for his “one big, beautiful bill,” the president wants GOP senators to keep bending to his agenda.

The whip count. Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters Tuesday it’s too early to game it out. But the first step will likely be a vote early next week to discharge the House-passed rescissions bill from the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Thune will then need to muster the 50 votes necessary to send an amended bill to the House so that it can hit Trump’s desk by July 18, the statutory deadline.

The rescissions package touches on foreign aid programs as well as public broadcasting funding. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), the Appropriations Committee chair, is among the leading skeptics of the proposal. Collins declined multiple times to speak with reporters Tuesday. Collins and several other senior GOP appropriators have concerns about the proposed cuts to PEPFAR, a George W. Bush-era global HIV/AIDS prevention program. Others, like Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), believe that slashing public broadcasting funding will negatively impact rural and native communities.

“One way or another, OMB said they would work with us,” Rounds said. “So whatever forms it takes, we can’t lose these small-town radio stations across the country that [are] literally the only ways of getting out emergency messages.”

There’s also Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), a new wild-card of sorts after he announced he isn’t running for reelection in 2026. Tillis said that while he’s sympathetic to the argument that cutting foreign aid undermines national security, he expects to vote yes.

“I’m planning on supporting it, but there are people who have expressed soft power national security concerns that I’m going to take a look at,” Tillis said. “But I’m generally going to be in the yes column.”

For Immediate Release: New PAC Focused on Foreign Aid Endorses James Walkinshaw for Congress

The Alliance 4 American Leadership is proud to endorse Supervisor James Walkinshaw for Congress. We’re endorsing James Walkinshaw for one simple reason: he gets it. He understands that turning our backs on our allies isn’t just morally wrong; it’s a strategic disaster. 

Currently, 28 volunteers at the Alliance 4 American Leadership are serving on Walkinshaw’s campaign. “I support James Walkinshaw because he is a strong, compassionate leader who truly cares about the voices and concerns of constituents like me.” Nida Hadi, a volunteer for the Alliance 4 American Leadership and a resident of Herndon, VA, said. “By upholding humanitarian values and championing foreign aid, he has devoted his career to keeping our communities safe and connected. Walkinshaw doesn’t just show up; he delivers. I can’t think of anyone better suited to lead Virginia's 11th District with such integrity and devotion than him.”

Walkinshaw earned the endorsement of the late Congressman Gerry Connolly, a tireless champion of foreign assistance who was once known on Capitol Hill as “Mr. Foreign Aid.” Like Congressman Connolly, Walkinshaw knows that abandoning American leadership has devastating consequences.

The unprecedented USAID shutdown is a case in point. On January 24, 2025, the United States abruptly cut off access to food, medicine, and education for 120 million people worldwide. At least 340,000 lives have already been sacrificed for cuts that saved the federal government less than 0.3% of its annual budget.

While America turns its back on its allies, China is stepping in, rapidly expanding its foreign assistance programs and debt-trap diplomacy, deepening its influence, and filling the void we’ve left behind. The result isn’t just a loss of trust in our country, it’s a more dangerous world for Americans.

Here at home, the costs are staggering. In Virginia’s 11th District alone, the cuts have stripped local businesses and nonprofits of more than $1.3 billion in contracts. That’s not just a policy failure. It’s a betrayal of American workers, our credibility, and the leadership we’ve spent generations building.

While James Walkinshaw is the first to earn our endorsement, he won't be the last. Over the next two years, we're mobilizing 10,000 volunteers to help rebuild America’s role as a force for good in the world.

We are honored to welcome Walkinshaw as the keynote speaker at our national launch reception on July 9th - the first of launch events across all 50 states. Join us by registering at https://givebutter.com/leadamerica

Paid for by Alliance 4 American Leadership. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

The Alliance for American Leadership (A4AL) honors Congressman Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA) as he prepares to retire at the end of his current term, celebrating a distinguished career dedicated to advancing American leadership, safeguarding our democratic institutions, and inspiring the next generation of public servants.

The Alliance for American Leadership (A4AL) — a national coalition of young professionals and foreign policy experts dedicated to revitalizing principled American engagement abroad — includes eight advocates from Congressman Connolly’s district. It was founded by Asher Moss, a former intern in the office of Congressman Connolly, whose commitment to public service was shaped by the Congressman’s example.

Long before his election to Congress, Congressman Connolly earned a reputation as Mr. Foreign Aid during his decade as a staffer on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 

Describing his time as a Committee staffer for an article in Roll Call, Congressman Connolly said, “The world suddenly just blew apart as I was just beginning my tenure…I had oversight of the entire foreign assistance program and responsibility for writing the annual foreign aid authorization bill. So that gave me a worldwide responsibility, a pretty broad portfolio. I was Mr. Foreign Aid.”

Members of A4AL offered reflections on the personal impact of Congressman Connolly’s leadership:

"Interning for Congressman Connolly was a privilege. His deep commitment to good governance and our democratic institutions was undeniable," said Asher Moss, Executive Director of the Alliance for American Leadership. "I always admired the framed article in his office calling him ‘Mr. Foreign Aid’ — a reminder of how fiercely he fought for American leadership. His example will continue to inspire a generation of advocates, public servants, and leaders who understand that American leadership is not an option; it is a responsibility."
— Asher Moss, former intern for Congressman Connolly, Executive Director of the Alliance for American Leadership

“Congressman Connolly has served Northern Virginia and our nation with unmatched integrity and passion. His relentless commitment to defending democracy and advocating for American leadership as a force of good in the world will leave an enduring legacy for younger generations.”
— Camillo Morales, constituent of Congressman Connolly, A4AL Advisory Board Member

"Representative Connolly has always demonstrated unwavering commitment to American leadership abroad. Over more than a decade in Congress, he consistently championed human rights, democracy, and global health programs. Most recently, he emerged as a leading voice against efforts to dismantle USAID, defending its vital role in promoting development, stability, and U.S. global engagement. His legacy of principled leadership and steadfast dedication to America’s values will be deeply missed."
— Sam Acharya, constituent of Congressman Connolly, A4AL Managing Director

“As my representative, Congressman Connolly made me proud as he always pushed for smart policies that put the human first. His support for agencies like USAID assured me that he had nothing but the best in mind for those in and out of his district.”
— Chris Griffith, constituent of Congressman Connolly, A4AL advocate

As Congressman Connolly concludes a storied career, the Alliance for American Leadership remains committed to upholding the ideals he so faithfully advanced: principled leadership, robust foreign engagement, and a democracy that serves both its citizens and the world.

On Easter Sunday, Melanie was fired. She wasn’t a bureaucrat collecting dust—she was a frontline worker at USAID, managing programs that delivered food, medical care, and protection to people in some of the most dangerous places on earth. She gave nearly a decade of her life to America’s humanitarian mission. And in return, she was told her job was no longer in the “best interest of the United States.”

What follows isn’t just a letter. It’s a eulogy for the promise we once made to the world—a promise to stand for dignity, decency, and life itself.

The Letter They Don’t Want You to See

On Easter Sunday, my dream job with USAID was terminated. I was notified only several weeks prior that my role as an Agreement Officer's Representative, overseeing lifesaving humanitarian assistance programs, was no longer in the best interest of the United States.

I joined USAID in 2016, and worked most of that time in the Office of Food for Peace and Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance. The work that my organization does saves lives, alleviates suffering, and aims to make the world a better place. The times I cried reading reports of dire needs in other countries, seeing firsthand how people live who rely on our assistance, hearing accounts of mothers and children who are barely surviving... the job was never easy. As a highly empathetic person, I carried the weight of this suffering with me daily. Knowing aid was not reaching people who desperately need it, and knowing it may never reach them again breaks me. I shed so many tears so far this year. For myself and my future, but mainly for the children who are not getting malnutrition treatment, the widowed mothers who rely on our generosity to feed their families, the girls who have nowhere safe to turn after facing abuse at home. For the promises we have broken to people throughout the world, and the promises we have broken to people here at home.

I spent the last few years focusing on Yemen, which is currently one of the world's most dire humanitarian crises. After / was notified of my employment termination and while I was at our office building working hard to save the programs I spent years building up, I found out I was suffering the loss of an early pregnancy. I undoubtedly believe that was caused by the stress / was put under by this administration, and my doctor inclined to agree. After this happened I stayed at the office, pushing through my own sadness while trying to ensure that the humanitarian programs I care so deeply about could continue. By the end of the day, nearly all of them were terminated. I had access to medical care. But I knew, at that exact moment, that women overseas were losing that same right-midwives left unpaid, clinics shuttered, no ambulances available. And since then I have often wondered: why would some people feel more compassion for my personal loss than for the women overseas who now face that pain alone? I grieve not only for myself, but for all of them.

During my time with USAID, I worked many late nights in the office, staying up until 3 AM to meet end of fiscal year deadlines. I hid under desks at embassies and ran to bunkers in the middle of the night with missiles coming toward the city. I held people as they cried over the atrocities they witnessed first hand. I functioned on nothing but coffee and the hope that I could make the world a better place for people.

I will always look back on my almost decade with USAID as some of the best years of my life. I started my career there at age 23, grew into a real adult there, and traveled the world there; I represented the United States in ten different countries. I worked with some of the best people this world has to offer, and met people that I know will be lifelong friends. Someone much further in her career once told me she had never seen a group of women uplift and support each other like one of my work teams had done. / will always be proud of that./ would not be the person I am without the time I had in this industry. I know that if twelve year old me could see the future and know who she would grow up to be, she would be excited for what the future holds for her.

While I am happy for all of the experiences I had, more than anything I am heartbroken that it is over. Watching the slow dismantling of an industry and the organization I dedicated my whole adult life to has been nothing short of traumatizing. The bags under my eyes and grays on my head are one small reflection of how I feel inside. I lost the job I loved at the same time I lost the chance to love a child that I was excited for, to start a next chapter for my family.

I cannot say this enough times: US foreign assistance saves lives and helps keep America safe. Humanitarian assistance and emergency food aid was not able to continue following the Executive Orders and chaotic messaging received from high political levels. I truly believe this to be intentional, making a villain of USAID and making us unable to continue doing our jobs. USAID is not a criminal organization, and USAID is not simply being merged into the State Department as people have been made to think. The humanitarian architecture has been dismantled, and lifesaving aid cannot continue with the extremely limited amount of staff that are yet to be terminated. The government waste, abuse, and inefficiency that occurred during this process is astronomical.

This is not the future I want for the child that I still hope to have one day. I hope my children, should I be lucky enough to have them, will grow up to be compassionate, empathetic, and kind. I hope they treat the world's most vulnerable with dignity and respect. I hope they are proud of the America they will live in. We are at our best when we extend compassion, not just within our borders, but beyond them. I will never waiver from the belief that all those in the world deserve help, and I will never stop finding ways to make the world a better place both for myself and for my future children.

-Melanie, USAID staff member of ten years

What You Can Do Right Now

Melanie's story is not unique. But it is urgent. This administration has intentionally dismantled a pillar of the postwar order—a system built by Americans, not just to lead the world, but to serve it. If we abandon that role now, we may not get it back. And the people who will pay the price aren't sitting in Washington boardrooms. They're sitting in bombed-out clinics, in famine zones, in refugee camps.

Call your members of Congress and demand they protect humanitarian aid. It takes less than a minute—find your representative here.

And if you want to support USAID staffers like Melanie, who have lost their jobs, you can donate here. Every contribution matters.

History will ask what we did in this moment. Let’s make sure we have an answer.

I love the West. 

I love what it aspired to be after the fires of fascism and empire nearly burned the world down. I believe in the postwar institutions it built—NATO, the UN, the EU, the WTO—not because they were flawless, but because they were necessary. Because they said, for the first time in human history, that the powerful would be bound by laws, and that peace and dignity could be the basis for international life.

I love that in 38 countries I can marry who I love. I love that the press can hold power to account. I love my right to vote. I love that since 1990 over a billion people have been lifted out of poverty. I love that I can travel to just about anywhere in the world and walk in someone else’s shoes. I love the West for things big and small.

I believe in the liberal world order, not as some abstract concept, but because it was earned—in blood, in trauma, in resistance. Our ancestors fought for it. They died for it. And now, the current Administration is throwing it away.

USAID: The First Domino to Fall

USAID, created to fulfill the promise of that liberal order, was never just an aid agency. It was a commitment. A tool to help remake the world through education, food, medicine, and peace. To say to newly independent nations, to war-torn regions, to children and mothers and displaced peoples: You are not alone.

And now USAID is being dismantled.

Trauma clinics in Ukraine are closing. HIV treatment pipelines are collapsing. Food aid programs have vanished. Children will die.

The West's Enemies Are Wearing Its Flag

Political extremists claim to love the West. But when they talk about “Western civilization,” they don’t mean pluralism, democracy, or international law. They mean cultural supremacy. They mean race. They mean dominance.

They don’t want a West defined by shared responsibility and universal rights. They want a West where power is hoarded, where empathy is weakness, and where the most are left to rot because they dares to be poor, brown, queer, or free.

The politicians rising across Europe and North America aren’t fighting to preserve Western values—they’re fighting to erase them. They talk about saving the West, but what they love is the imagined West of colonial maps and imperial grandeur. Their “love” is not for justice. It is for control.

Yes, the West Has Sinned. But It Has Also Grown.

Let’s not be naïve. The liberal world order has always carried contradictions. The West preached freedom while backing dictatorships. 

But those failures came not from believing in liberalism too much, but from betraying it. From choosing dominance over principle. From forgetting that the entire point of the order was to restrain power, not worship it.

USAID was an imperfect institution. But it was part of that aspiration. It was a way to make amends and to build instead of conquer. To dismantle it now is not just reckless—it’s cowardly. It’s disgraceful.

The Human Cost, Then and Now

This order was not handed to us. It was built from smoldering cities and mass graves. It was built by Jews who crawled out of death camps and insisted “Never again.” By women who rebuilt bombed-out towns. By American soldiers and civil servants who believed that suffering should not be the world’s default setting.

And now? We throw it away?

We dishonor the dead when we treat this world as disposable. And if we’re not careful, we may be asked to build it all again—through blood, through ruin, through another unimaginable cost.

This isn’t melodrama. It’s history. And we are repeating it.

What You Can Do

The dismantling of USAID is not just a footnote in a policy fight. It’s the frontline in a war over whether decency, responsibility, and shared humanity still mean anything in the world’s most powerful country.

We have a choice. But the window is closing.

Please tell your Members of Congress to support humanitarian aid. You can find their name and phone number here.

And please consider joining us at the Alliance for American Leadership to help lead in the fight to preserve the West we love, not the myth dictated by extremists.

Don’t let this be the generation that forgot what was built—and how much it cost.