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cover of episode The True Cost Of USAID Cuts

The True Cost Of USAID Cuts

2025/2/21
logo of podcast What A Day

What A Day

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J
Jane Koston
M
Mackenzie Knowles-Corson
S
State Department Spokesperson
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Jane Koston: 特朗普上任一个月内签署了大量行政命令,其中包括冻结几乎所有美国对外援助90天的行政命令。这导致USAID及其合作伙伴面临严重的资金短缺,影响了全球数百万受助者以及许多依赖USAID项目的美国企业和非营利组织。共和党在奥巴马政府时期曾批评过类似的大规模行政命令,但如今却对此保持沉默。 此外,这项政策还对USAID的工作人员士气造成严重打击,导致一些工作人员辞职抗议。特朗普政府声称许多对外援助项目实际上涉及到所谓的“多元化、公平与包容”或性别意识形态项目,以及变性手术等非救生援助,违背了“美国优先”的外交政策议程。但这种说法并未得到充分的证据支持,反而掩盖了资金削减对弱势群体的严重影响。 Mackenzie Knowles-Corson: 我在肯尼亚担任USAID东非地区传播部副主任期间,亲眼目睹了特朗普政府削减对外援助对当地人民造成的灾难性后果。由于资金冻结,许多儿童无法获得必要的HIV药物,面临死亡威胁。即使一些项目获得了豁免,也仍然面临着资金短缺和工资支付问题,这使得工作人员和患者都陷入了绝望的境地。我所了解的一个项目,原本每年为大约10万名结核病患者提供治疗,现在已经完全停止,导致数百人死亡。这些资金削减不仅危及生命,也严重损害了美国在全球的形象和信誉。 State Department Spokesperson: 美国国务院已经批准了近200项针对核心救生USAID项目的豁免,包括HIV治疗和护理以及母婴传播预防项目,并且每天都在批准更多豁免。我们认为,许多此前被描述为救生人道主义援助的活动实际上涉及到‘多元化、公平与包容’或性别意识形态项目,以及变性手术等非救生援助,违背了‘美国优先’的外交政策议程。

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Thursday marked one month since President Donald Trump officially took office. Since then, he’s signed dozens of executive orders. And the fallout from all his unilateral actions is starting to become clear. The administration’s funding cuts for foreign assistance have already hit millions of people receiving aid around the world through USAID, as well as many American businesses and nonprofits who do business with the agency. Mackenzie Knowles-Coursin, who resigned in protest as deputy head of communications in East Africa for USAID this month, describes the toll Trump’s cuts are taking on vulnerable people in Kenya.

And in headlines: The Senate confirmed Kash Patel as the new head of the FBI, former Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell announced he won’t run for re-election, and the administration slashes deportation protections for around 500,000 Haitian migrants.

Show Notes: