Samantha Power

Rule Changes

Left government January 20, 2025; returned to Harvard

Hours after taking office on January 20, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order freezing all U.S. foreign aid for 90 days. What followed was the systematic dismantlement of USAID, the government's humanitarian arm: stop-work orders shuttered HIV clinics in Ivory Coast, refugee camps lost infrastructure support, and 3.8 million women lost access to contraceptive care. By March, the administration had terminated 5,800 contracts, fired over 1,600 employees, and placed nearly all of USAID's 4,700 workers on leave. Secretary of State Marco Rubio took control of the agency, calling it "completely unresponsive" and announcing plans to absorb what remains into the State Department.

Updated Jan 7