Here we go. The inauguration of Donald Trump takes place tomorrow, potentially unleashing an earthquake into foreign aid funding, multilateral institutions, and global development.
But first, we’ve been speaking to outgoing USAID Administrator Samantha Power. She told us the role has been a balancing act — between patience and impatience, risk and caution, and the differing arguments for foreign aid. While she spoke about USAID’s soft power, she warned against viewing global development efforts entirely through a transactional lens, which would see short-term considerations take priority.
And although some members of the Republican Party have accused USAID of becoming “woke” and ideological under Power, she disagreed — and warned that if the incoming administration isn’t willing to work on climate change, it will find it difficult to engage with many countries where it has become part of the “daily challenge of public service.”