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OneAID Updates

  • oneaidcommunity
  • Apr 1
  • 8 min read

Updated: Apr 2

April 1, 2025


Happening This Week

  • Tuesday, April 1, at 2:30 pm ET: Senate Foreign Relations Committee Roundtable on Global Health Impacts of Trump Administration’s Disastrous Assistance Freeze. Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen and other members will host a discussion on the dangerous consequences of cuts to U.S. global health programs, with experts to speak to the impact on global health infrastructure and security and opportunities for Beijing to assert itself in the wake of the withdrawal of U.S. support. Watch on YouTube.

  • Saturday, April 5: Hands Off National Day of Action. The goal for the April 5 collective day of 7,000+ actions is to present an undeniable, visible presence across our nation in defense of democracy, our rights, and personal freedoms, and to demand a better future than the vision offered up by Trump/Vance and Project 2025.

    • 12:00 pm ET in Washington, D.C.: Register here and meet at the Washington Monument. Co-sponsored by the Women’s March and 50501 Movement, an inclusive, non-violent movement rooted in conflict resolution practices.

    • If you live outside of the DMV area, check out this site to identify a local event.


Take Action


Key Updates

  • Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) took to the Senate floor March 31 with a marathon speech, holding the floor for over 25 hours critiquing Trump administration actions, including the dismantling of USAID, and raising the alarm on their impacts.

  • On March 31, 202 members of Congress requested to file an amicus (Friend of the Court) brief in the AFSA and AFGE case. The original case asked the court to stop the Administration’s dismantling of USAID. This amicus brief seeks to give information and context from Congress’s perspective to support the case.

  • Former DOGE staffer, and current USAID deputy administrator, Jeremy Lewin reportedly has a history of violence and making racist remarks.

  • With the Trump administration’s seizure of the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP), DOGE took action to terminate nearly all of USIP’s staff, and appointed 20-something DOGE staffer, Nate Cavanaugh, as acting president of the independent Congressionally mandated agency, with Secretaries Rubio and Hegseth directing him to transfer USIP’s assets to the General Services Administration–a move that is likely illegal.

  • If you missed our Flash Update this weekend on the administration’s final actions to shutter USAID and the impact on earthquake rescue efforts in Myanmar, you can find it on OneAID Community’s website: www.oneaidcommunity.org.


More details below…


Senator Cory Booker holds the Senate floor with detailed admonishment of Trump Administration actions

  • Beginning March 31 at 7pm EST, Senator Booker took command of the Senate floor to launch an all-night critique of Trump Administration actions and has been highlighting the impact of recent cuts to the federal government (including USAID, Social Security, Medicaid, and the Department of Education).

  • Members of the OneAID Community and the grassroots group, AID on the Hill, met with Senator Booker’s staff last week and submitted personal impact stories, which he read in full during his speech on April 1. He reiterated USAID’s critical role in promoting national security and goodwill overseas.

  • At time of distribution, Booker’s speech is the 6th longest in Senate history.


202 Members of Congress request to file Amicus brief in AFSA and AFGE Case, which asks the court to stop the dismantling of USAID

  • On March 31, 202 members of Congress requested to file an amicus (Friend of the Court) brief in the AFSA and AFGE case. The original case asked the court to stop the Trump administration’s dismantling of USAID. This amicus brief seeks to give information and context from Congress’s perspective to support the case. Amicus briefs are permitted when a third party has unique information that can contribute to the Court’s understanding of the substance of a matter before the Court.

  • Members of Congress propose to explain the original rationale for the Congressional establishment of USAID, why the administration must notify and consult with Congress before a reorganization, and how the administration’s actions to dismantle USAID violate the law and the Constitution and threaten the goals USAID was created to advance.

  • The extent of Congressional support for filing the brief is positive. While the D.C. District Court still has to approve Congress’ request, the areas it proposes to cover will hopefully provide additional support for the Plaintiff’s constitutional claims.


Former DOGE staffer, and current USAID deputy administrator, Jeremy Lewin reportedly has a history of violence and making racist remarks.

  • Secretary Rubio recently appointed Jeremy Lewin as the USAID deputy administrator for policy and programs, who as a former DOGE staffer, helped dismantle the Agency. On March 28, Lewin emailed all USAID personnel signed as “PTDO Deputy Administrator & Chief Operating Officer.” PTDO means “Performing The Duties Of,” which is arguably a workaround to enable Lewin to serve in a Senate confirmed role he has neither been nominated nor confirmed to serve in, and to thus enact major changes to USAID.

  • Rolling Stone interviewed ten people who previously knew Lewin, who alleged he has a history of violence and racist remarks. According to Rolling Stone, one source recalled Lewin “claiming that white people were biologically more intelligent than non-white people,” while another recalled Lewin expressing beliefs “that non-white people were inherently of ‘lower value’ than white people.” At least eight people recalled Lewin regularly “presented fanciful and dubious claims.” In one incident, police records show Lewin was also once accused of threatening a girl with a knife.

  • USAID and the State Department prohibit discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, or religion, and ensure that all personnel actions affecting employees or job applicants are free from discrimination on such bases.


DOGE Member Nate Cavanaugh appointed as acting President at USIP and directed to transfer all of the Congressionally mandated institute’s assets to the General Services Administration

  • With the Trump administration’s seizure of USIP, DOGE took action to terminate nearly all of USIP’s staff late on Friday night, March 28, and ended their health insurance coverage effective Monday, March 31, leaving staff panicked and scrambling.

  • The administration through Secretaries Rubio and Hegseth (as two of three remaining ex officio board members) then installed 20-something DOGE staffer Nate Cavanaugh–formerly with General Services Administration (GSA)–as acting President of the independent Congressionally mandated institute, and directed him to transfer USIP’s assets to the GSA, which is likely an illegal move. This action also included, per court filings, direction to hand over USIP’s privately-funded, $500M headquarters “at no cost” to the GSA.

    • The move not only usurps Congressional authority as the administration continues to do with USAID as well, but also raises major questions about the government’s ability to simply take over assets of registered 501c3 organizations. USIP’s status is complicated as a Congressionally mandated and funded institute that functions under the USIP Act, which also maintains a mostly privately- funded building whose maintenance is paid via a privately funded endowment.


Consistent Topline Talking Points (last updated April 1)

Preserving Foreign Assistance as a U.S. Foreign Policy Tool

  • An effort from the Trump administration and Congress to reform and streamline U.S. foreign assistance is welcome, but the approach taken to date is not a serious reform effort: it is an ineffective, sloppy power grab that has—unintentionally or      not—destroyed the U.S foreign assistance apparatus and deprived the U.S. of a critical soft-power tool. Foreign assistance keeps us safer here at home while demonstrating American generosity and saving millions of lives around the world.

  • As a result of the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle USAID, the United States is now left without the systems, experienced personnel, or partners necessary to responsibly and strategically implement foreign assistance—making the U.S. weaker, less safe, and less prosperous.

  • Due to the way in which USAID has been dismantled, it will take years to rebuild the capacity that has been critical support for countries to make progress on development and respond to humanitarian crises. At the same time, trust in the U.S. as a reliable partner is now in question around the world, as U.S. adversaries step in to fill the void.

  • Americans agree: foreign assistance is a powerful U.S. soft-power tool and 89 percent of Americans support spending at least 1 percent of our federal budget on foreign aid. As we’ve seen, USAID is the first but not the last of this Administration’s efforts to dismantle the Federal Government. For this reason, Congress must halt these illegal actions by DOGE and instead implement a more strategic, sensible reform effort that restores the legislative branch’s important oversight function.


USAID: The first, but not the last

  • USAID is the playbook for President Trump and Elon Musk’s plan for a rapid and potentially illegal overhaul of the U.S. government. This is being done without the Congressional approval and oversight required for those agencies codified by statute. Reform is welcome, but what DOGE is doing is not reform, it is taking a sledgehammer to destroy a vital tool of U.S. national security.

  • Rep. Bacon (R-NE) underscored this in his comments to the Wall Street Journal: “[USAID was] funding a lot of stupid stuff—that’s a fact. But they’re also doing a lot of good stuff too. So you don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Instead of taking a sledgehammer, let’s get out the scalpel.”

  • Instead of undertaking a reform effort—working closely with Congress as is required by law—DOGE has taken a “burn it all down” approach including mass firings and major infringements on Congress’s power of the purse. This may work for tech firms, but it is a dangerous approach for government institutions that must remain accountable to taxpayers, enforce laws, and deliver public goods.


Current Impact

American Economy and Jobs

  • Confirmed Job Losses: As a result of the dismantling of USAID, 18,923 Americans have lost their jobs, been furloughed, or placed on administrative leave. 171,610 jobs globally (non-American) have been lost as of March 31, 2025.


Health

  • U.S. funding cuts to Gavi are projected to deny approximately 75 million children routine vaccinations in the next five years, with more than 1.2 million children potentially dying as a result. Gavi is estimated to have saved the lives of over 19 million children over the last 25 years, with the U.S. contributing 13% of Gavi’s annual budget.

    • MSF Chief Programs Officer Dr. Carrie Teicher emphasized: “What makes matters worse is the fact that the U.S. has broadly cut foreign assistance, which leaves the many children who will now get sick from vaccine-preventable diseases with even fewer options for medical care than they had before.”

  • The PEPFAR Impact Counter estimates that the discontinuation of USAID funding may have led to an estimated 29,107 AIDS-related adult deaths and 3,098 children deaths since January 24, 2025.

  • While the Trump Administration has decided to lay off all staff at the HHS Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy, which is responsible for protecting Americans from HIV/AIDS and other diseases in the U.S., UNAIDS reports that U.S. funding cuts overseas continue to impact HIV testing, treatment, and prevention:

    • UNAIDS estimates that an additional 350,000 children will be newly infected with HIV over the coming four years if HIV testing is not available for pregnant women at antenatal care centers.

    • In Haiti, a key warehouse will soon close due to U.S. funding cuts, which will impact the storage and distribution of both U.S.-funded and Global Fund supported medicines and other commodities.

    • In South Africa, research has been halted on an HIV vaccine and a study on long-acting PrEP.

    • In Eswatini, there are reported declines in HIV case identification and contact tracing efforts, while disruptions to HIV prevention programs for adolescent girls and young women have affected an estimated 120,000-150,000 people.

  • The termination of U.S.-funded malnutrition programs are estimated to prevent one million children from accessing wasting treatments, causing an additional 163,500 child deaths annually. Severe acute malnutrition, or severe wasting, is the most lethal form of undernutrition and is responsible for up to 20% of deaths of children under the age of five years, and affects 13.7 million children a year worldwide.


Humanitarian Assistance

  • In Myanmar, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck on Friday, March 28, causing catastrophic damage country-wide and triggering a wave of damage in neighboring Thailand. As of April 1, over 2,056 people have been confirmed to have died and 3,900 injured, with the U.S. Geological Survey suggesting the number of deaths could be over 10,000. As a result of the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle USAID, the U.S. government no longer has the tools or personnel to effectively respond to crises overseas, including in Myanmar. As of March 30, China, Russia, and India, among others, had all sent response teams and aid.

    • Before Friday’s earthquake, nearly 20 million people in Myanmar were already in need of emergency aid—the fifth highest number of people in need of humanitarian assistance globally.

  • In Ukraine, the implications of U.S. funding cuts on humanitarian, development, and government programs are closely intertwined. The impacts will likely generate critical gaps in service provision, which will translate into affected communities’ increasingly unmet basic needs, threatening both immediate humanitarian outcomes and the longer-term safety and wellbeing of millions of Ukrainians

  • In Afghanistan, although the potential long-term impacts of the funding cuts are not yet clear, if alternative sources of funding are not found, there is likely to be an increase in humanitarian needs alongside reduced access to vital services and the rolling back of hard-earned development gains to reduce aid dependency, according to ACAPS. Humanitarian actors surveyed 2,276 individuals who shared their views and perceptions on the impacts of the U.S. funding suspension in their communities:

    • The lack of information sharing from humanitarian workers—presumably due to a lack of information provided to them by the U.S.—has left many communities feeling excluded from decision-making processes regarding aid suspension.

    • The closure of maternal and child health services has impacted pregnant women and new mothers. Multiple women reported their struggle to access reproductive healthcare due to clinic closure, lack of midwives, and unavailability of maternal health kits.

    • Individuals reported a decline in food assistance, livelihood opportunities, and winter support. Some local markets have been affected by reduced purchasing power, causing ripple effects across entire settlements.

      • An individual in Ghor province said, “before, we had some support, at least enough to survive. Now, food assistance has stopped, and prices in the market have gone up. Our children are going to sleep hungry.”

    • Individuals reported that they anticipate higher migration rates internally and out of the country, especially among young people, as a result of reduced or termination of assistance in their communities.

  • Trump administration cuts threaten the collapse of data services that act as the “eyes and ears” of aid responses, from surveys to satellite data. Data and humanitarian experts warn that without these tools, emergencies could be missed and aid misdirected. Since the administration shut down the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, “the mechanism by which the US government decided how and where to allocate food assistance… it’s hard to say on what basis” aid will be allocated, said Daniel Maxwell, Famine Review Committee member. “My fear is that [it] would mean that there is no evidence on which to base the choice of [how to] allocate more food assistance.”


Democracy, Rights, and Governance

  • U.S. funding cuts have significantly impacted independent civil society groups, with activists, anti-corruption groups, and independent media at risk, per People in Need:

    • In Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine, independent media and human rights organizations have lost between 40% and 90% of their annual budgets.

    • In Belarus and Russia, the U.S. funding cuts have affected legal aid to imprisoned journalists and human rights defenders and their families, and support for media in exile and feminist and LGBTQ+ projects.

    • In Azerbaijan, human rights defenders and independent journalists who have moved into exile due to persecution have lost 50-80% of their funding.

    • In Egypt, U.S. fundings cuts impact legal aid provided to human rights defenders, journalists, and those unjustly imprisoned for free expression and assembly.

    • In Nicaragua, the independent media is on the verge of extinction and relocation programs for human rights defenders have been halted.

  • In analysis provided by the Ohio Democracy Project, USAID’s dissolution has had immediate impacts, such as the Serbian government’s crackdown on USAID supported civil society activists and the Hungarian government’s escalated efforts to stamp out pro-democracy groups and independent media organizations. Over the longer term, this shift away from supporting democracy will impact the quality of global democracy, because democratic activists will no longer be able to rely on USAID programming or U.S. diplomatic pressure in the face of authoritarian threats.


National Security


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