The U.S. has partially unblocked funding for foreign programs, according to Reuters.
The Trump administration has released $5.3 billion in previously frozen foreign aid. The unfrozen funds are primarily allocated for security and drug enforcement programs.
This was reported by RBK-Ukraine citing Reuters.
The agency received a list of 243 additional approved exceptions as of February 13, totaling $5.3 billion. This list provides the most comprehensive accounting of the funds withheld since Trump ordered the freeze on aid and demonstrates the White House's intent to reduce assistance for programs it does not consider vital to U.S. national security.
The list outlines the programs that will be funded and the U.S. government agencies responsible for their management.
The vast majority of the released funds—over $4.1 billion—were designated for programs managed by the State Department's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, which oversees arms sales and military assistance to other countries and groups. Other exceptions were related to Trump’s immigration reform and efforts to curtail the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S., particularly the deadly opioid fentanyl.
According to the list, more than half of the programs allowed to continue operate under the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and focus on combating the illegal drug trade and illegal migration into the United States.
These exceptions cost $293 million and included funding for databases to track migrants, identify potential terrorists, and share biometric information. Reuters was unable to determine whether any exceptions were granted; however, none were listed.
USAID Programs
According to the list, unlike security-related programs, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) programs received less than $100 million in exceptions. This is compared to approximately $40 billion for USAID programs that were administered annually prior to the freeze.
The released USAID programs included $78 million for non-food humanitarian assistance in the Gaza Strip, which has been devastated by war. An additional $56 million was allocated to the International Committee of the Red Cross due to a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
The list did not contain specific exceptions for some of the world's worst humanitarian crises, including Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Myanmar, and Afghanistan. This implies that funding for these countries is likely still suspended.
Taiwan and HIV/AIDS Program
At the same time, the list indicated that security-related exceptions include $870 million for programs in Taiwan, $336 million for the modernization of Philippine security forces, and over $21.5 million for body armor and armored vehicles for the Ukrainian National Police and border guards.
The largest non-security exception was a $500 million funding for PEPFAR, the U.S.'s primary program for combating HIV/AIDS, which mainly funds medical services in Africa and is credited with saving millions of lives.
This compares to PEPFAR's annual budget for 2024 of $6.5 billion. The program is administered by the State Department's Bureau of Global Health.
A current USAID employee, speaking on the condition of anonymity, described the process for requesting exceptions as "very dysfunctional" and stated that the remaining agency staff were seeking clarification on the criteria being used.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the Trump administration reached out to USAID missions abroad to identify and designate programs that would be exempt from taxation.
Freeze on Foreign Program Funding
Shortly after taking office on January 20, Donald Trump ordered a 90-day pause on foreign aid. The U.S. suspended all foreign assistance—from anti-hunger and deadly disease programs to providing shelter for millions of displaced persons worldwide.
The freeze triggered a struggle among American officials and humanitarian organizations for exceptions to continue programs.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that all foreign aid must align with Trump's priorities of "America First." At the end of January, Trump granted exceptions for military assistance to Israel and Egypt, key U.S. allies in the Middle East, as well as for life-saving humanitarian aid, particularly food assistance.
However, current and former U.S. officials and humanitarian organizations claim that only a few exceptions for humanitarian aid have been approved.
Trump has long been opposed to foreign aid, which on average has accounted for less than 2% of total federal spending over the past 20 years, according to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. He described the American "foreign aid industry" as one that "often contradicts American values."
Elon Musk's government efficiency department led efforts to eliminate the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the primary mechanism for delivering American foreign aid and a critical tool of U.S. "soft power" for gaining influence abroad.
On February 14, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to resume funding for hundreds of foreign contractors who lost funding due to program freezes.