Friday's memo shocked the humanitarian groups and communities conducting development aid across the globe. While the scope of the directive appears far-reaching, uncertainties linger over how it will be carried out.

The memo on Saturday offered only partial clarity.

The pause on foreign aid spending means "a complete halt," it said. The only exceptions are for emergency humanitarian food assistance and for government officials returning to their duty stations. Waivers allowing delivery of emergency food during the review period will require "detailed information and justification."

USAID began sending a notice to contractors ordering them to "immediately issue stop-work orders" and to "amend, or suspend existing awards."

USAID and other U.S. government entities provide money for a wide range of causes. Some are arguably humanitarian and should continue:

Trump order set to halt supply of HIV, malaria drugs to poor countries as part of aid freeze, sources say – NY Post, Jan 28 2025

Others though are not so.

In many cases foreign aid is used to transplant U.S. ideological causes into foreign societies and/or to manipulate them into favoring U.S. interests. This is often hidden under the misleading concept of a 'civil society' as the 'third sector' distinct from governments and businesses. The U.S., through USAID and other like entities, are paying foreign 'non-government' organizations (NGOs), as well as foreign media, to pressure foreign governments into following policies in U.S. interests.

Enslaved by Nonprofits: How NGOs Colonize Developing Countries – Mint Press News, Dec 12 2023

In a number of countries the halt of such 'aid' showed immediate effects (machine translation):

Several major Ukrainian media outlets have asked their readers for financial support due to the suspension of American grant programs by the new President, Donald Trump.

In particular, this is directly reported by Hromadske and Bihus.Info.

"Some of the projects that we implement thanks to grants are temporarily stopped. That is why we especially need the support of each and every one of you," writes Hromadske.