Shortly after his inauguration on January 20, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order putting a 90-day freeze on foreign assistance and development aid. A few days later, some 10,000 employees of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) were told that they were being placed on administrative leave. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the Agency’s programs would be reviewed and that those that were not cancelled would be managed by the Department of State.

The Forum brings together four professionals to discuss the impact of these actions on the beneficiaries of assistance programs funded by the U.S. government, furloughed employees, and, American business and agricultural interests. They discuss whether the charges of corruption and fraud that have been directed towards USAID have any justification. The guests were unanimous in expressing their concern that the withdrawal of U.S. leadership is creating a vacuum that China and other adversaries are celebrating and only so happy to fill.

Host: Jim Falk

Co-host: Talitha Arnold

Guests:

· Ambassador Mark Asquino, Ph.D., former U.S. ambassador to Equatorial Guinea and Deputy Chief of Mission in Sudan

· Rebecca Black, USAID mission director in Cambodia and Mali, deputy mission director in Afghanistan

· Lisa Ellis, foreign assistance professional; recently consultant & trainer for International Medical Corps in the Middle East and Africa

· Kate Schecter, Ph.D., President & CEO, World Neighbors (recorded interview, 2/9/2025)