State Department freezes new funding for nearly all US aid programs worldwide

The State Department has frozen new funding for almost all U.S. aid programs worldwide, making exceptions to allow humanitarian food programs and military aid to Israel and Egypt to continue. The order was sent Friday in a cable to U.S. embassies worldwide. It prohibits new government spending, which appears to limit programs to running only as long as they have cash on hand. The State Department will conduct a review of which of the thousands of U.S. aid and development programs can continue. Its order spells out the execution of an aid-freezing executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Monday.