The Trump administration's sweeping overhaul of U.S. humanitarian aid has thrown U.S. Agency for International Development, into turmoil.

US secretary of state Marco Rubio has ordered an immediate halt to work on virtually all existing foreign aid programmes pending a review into whether they are consistent with President Donald Trump’s policies, according to an internal cable seen by the Financial Times.

Exemptions include humanitarian assistance such as core life-saving medicine, medical services, food, shelter and subsistence assistance

After Donald Trump froze nearly all U.S. foreign aid last week, international projects on health, education, food, and all other humanitarian areas were placed in jeopardy.

Health and humanitarian groups around the world were still uncertain on January 29 if and how they could resume work after the United States issued a waiver for “life-saving” assistance in President Donald Trump’s freeze on U.S. foreign aid.

In a follow-up memo after an outcry from aid groups, Rubio clarified that other “humanitarian assistance” besides food would also be exempt during the review period. Humanitarian assistance was defined as “core life-saving medicine, medical services, food, shelter and subsistence assistance”.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced exemptions in the freeze on foreign assistance, continuing funding for humanitarian items like shelter and medicine. President Trump had ordered a 90-day pause on assistance.

Rubio has to balance aggressive Trump policies with Latin America's willingness to cooperate. The Panama Canal will be contentious.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined America's new foreign policy focus in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, emphasizing the nation's relationships with nearby countries.

US President Donald Trump has ordered most foreign assistance to be halted for 90 days pending a review, causing alarm among aid agencies worldwide. View on euronews

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is traveling to Central America and the Caribbean. That is welcome news for smaller countries that typically struggle to get the attention of Washington. Usually, new secretaries of state reserve their first overseas visits for major US allies in Europe or Asia.

According to the spokesman, 80,000 Afghans have been resettled in various countries, while more than 40,000 remain in limbo. Among them, 25,000 were expected to be relocated to the US. Under the initial agreement with the US, the resettlement process was scheduled for completion by September 2025.