This morning, just after he directly called for the closure of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), President Trump signed a memo to the heads of all executive branch departments and agencies instructing them to “review all funding that agencies provide to [non-governmental organizations (NGOs)]” in order to “align future funding decisions” with his administration’s interests, goals, and priorities – as well as other priorities “otherwise determined in the judgement of the heads of agencies.”
In response, Congressional Integrity Project senior advisor Kyle Herrig has issued the following statement:
“Donald Trump’s order to target NGOs is just the latest in his ongoing assault on our civil society, working Americans, and government funding to attack political enemies and to demand loyalty to his MAGA cult. His relentless pursuit of silencing dissent and undermining those who oppose him threatens the very foundations of democracy itself. There is no institution in our country that is safe from Trump’s reckless attempted dismantling. We cannot stand idly by as this expanding concentration of power works to erode the programs and institutions that serve the American people from coast to coast.”
Around 1.5 million NGOs operate in the U.S., employing at least 13 million Americans and forming the backbone of our democracy’s robust civil society. This is the latest, and broadest, step in Trump’s war on civil society, coming at the end of a tumultuous week that included dismantling federal agencies like USAID, investigating companies with DEI policies and programs, and ordering investigations into corporations and broadcast networks. Earlier this week, Trump’s new Attorney General Pam Bondi had already signed a memo cutting funding for NGOs that “support illegal aliens.”
The Hill: Trump Calls For Review Of All US Funding To NGOs.
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“President Trump on Friday called for a review of federal funding to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and for a halt on spending to groups that ‘undermine the national interest.’”
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“The broad announcement did not name specific NGOs. According to the State Department, there are some 1.5 million such advocacy and service groups operating in the United States, focusing on social and economic issues like elections, healthcare and women’s rights.”
Bloomberg: Trump Orders Federal Agencies to Review All Funding for NGOs.
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“President Donald Trump announced he was ordering a review of funding for all nongovernmental organizations and planned to cancel support for groups his administration deems are not working in the interests of the US. ‘It is the policy of my Administration to stop funding NGOs that undermine the national interest,’ Trump said in a memo published on Friday.”
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“According to the State Department, approximately 1.5 million NGOs operate in the US. Some of the largest recipients of aid include global groups like Catholic Relief Services, development firm Chemonics International, and the Partnership for Supply Chain Management, which helps with logistics and distribution of medical supplies. Already, some NGOs have slashed staff and budgets in anticipation of federal funding freezes or reductions.”