Reports indicate that as many as 700 U.S. Foreign Service employees have written to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, expressing disagreement with the freeze on nearly all foreign aid.
The staffers argue that the move endangers U.S. diplomats and forces overseas, while also putting the lives of millions abroad at risk—people who depend on U.S. assistance for their survival.
The letter was reportedly submitted through the State Department’s Dissent Channel, a confidential, internal communication avenue that allows U.S. diplomats and foreign service officers to voice concerns or disagreements with official U.S. government policy. Established in 1971, the Dissent Channel was created in response to the lack of internal mechanisms for diplomatic personnel to raise issues about policies they disagreed with, particularly during the Vietnam War. The channel aims to foster open discussion and ensures that such concerns are reviewed at high levels, without fear of retaliation.
Since late January, the Trump administration has sought to dismantle USAID by laying off most of its employees, halting most of its funding activities, and moving the remaining staff into the State Department. As part of its sweeping cost-cutting measures, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), under the control of businessman Elon Musk, terminated 83 percent of USAID’s program contracts, valued at an estimated US$50 billion.
Please login or subscribe to view the complete article.