Sarah Harrison writes:

At the start of President Donald Trump’s second term, he and his administration have issued unprecedented directives to halt domestic and foreign spending in order to align that spending with his “America First” agenda. The orders have had immediate and sweeping impacts, including widespread confusion over exactly what funding must be paused, ensnaring billions of dollars in the freeze and ending the employment of federal workers and contractors necessary to execute on those funds. Although the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) quickly rescinded the memo that generated the most chaos, Trump’s actions and subsequent comments suggest that the policies undergirding the memo still remain and raise questions about the legality of his ability to unilaterally stop spending, referred to in federal law as “impoundment.”

In addition to the legal questions raised, the Trump administration’s impoundment of foreign assistance, coupled with personnel-related actions, such as attempting to put thousands of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) officials on leave, could have long-term effects on U.S. and international security, some potentially quite serious. Foreign assistance is a key pillar of U.S. soft power, critical to helping millions of people around the world and advancing U.S. influence through good will. This includes funding for humanitarian aid, defense equipment for partners and allies, development assistance, health programs, and more. Traditionally, the United States has seen such initiatives as key to geopolitical competition and essential to international stability. [Continue reading…]