Devex Pro Insider: US cuts billions, Brussels chills speech, and spirited tributes to ex-aid workers

The Trump administration just dropped its 2026 budget request, and it’s basically the foreign aid version of flipping the table and walking out. If passed as is, it would gut U.S. foreign affairs spending to its lowest level in 80 years — that’s at least since World War II — slashing funding by 85%, canceling billions already promised, and zeroing out entire agencies that worked on issues such as democracy, refugees, and human rights. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the $28.5 billion request (that’s without counting the rescissions) is about "streamlining" and aligning with “national interests.” Critics say it's more like using a chainsaw on a backbone. Global health? Down 62%. PEPFAR? Takes a big hit. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance? Axed. Development aid is being folded into a somewhat vague America First Opportunity Fund that’s relatively small in terms of funds but audacious in its ambitions to bolster U.S. national interests. Meanwhile, defense spending shoots past $1 trillion and refugee repatriation funding surges. Of course, this budget isn’t law — it’s a wish list. But the rescission package — which would claw back billions in unspent but already appropriated foreign aid funds — is real, and it’s already landed on Capitol Hill. House Speaker Mike Johnson is all in, vowing to codify a more “efficient” federal government. Congress has 45 days to act, and while some lawmakers are pushing back — reviving programs such as Food for Peace, for now — the overall message is clear. Foreign aid is no longer trimming the fat. It’s full on being starved. And it’s not just Washington sharpening the knives. Across the Atlantic, the European Union's development community is under siege from a different flank: bureaucratic fog and political backlash. In Brussels, right-wing lawmakers have launched a sustained campaign against NGOs, accusing them of pushing “propaganda” and using EU money to meddle in politics. Veteran development advocates call the current climate “the worst we’ve ever had.” The attacks have already led to changes. Some European Commission contracts are being quietly rewritten to scrub out the words “advocacy” and “influence.” Environmental groups were first in the firing line, but now health and development NGOs are getting hit too. One longtime leader said a third of his time is now spent on defending civil society’s role, rather than actually doing the work. Meetings with officials are harder to secure, and there’s growing uncertainty over what NGOs are even allowed to say — or fund. So while the U.S. is gutting budgets, Brussels is chilling speech. Different tactics, same effect: a shrinking space for the people trying to tackle climate, poverty, and inequality. And for NGOs caught in the crossfire? Less money, less access, and a whole lot more time rewriting grant language just to stay in the game. Also in today’s edition: Stanley Fischer, mentor to monetary minds, has died, a Bono-MAGA duel, and an intoxicating tribute. Bits and pieces Cheers. Fancy an Out of the Woodchipper cocktail? It packs a punch with vodka, honey, and lemon juice. Doge Eat Dog is laced with tequila, strawberry, banana, and lime. Then there’s PEPFAR Punch, Locally Led Daiquiri, Aid Before Ego, Prevention on the Rocks, and USAID’s Non-Negotiable Negroni. They all come with a generous measure of liquor to help you part with your cash to help a good cause. The spirited concoctions were part of the fundraiser "Drink with purpose. Fund with impact" in Washington, D.C., organized by former USAID staff and global health advocates to fight the impact of terminated USAID awards on locally led HIV services. Although the event was held on Wednesday, you can still click on the link if you want to make a donation to help some 20 high-impact groups identified by Global Living — organizations left on the brink by the sudden halt of USAID-backed HIV programs. That means children untreated, violence survivors unprotected, and vital services shuttered. Bono blasts USAID cuts. Irish U2 rock star Bono has drawn the ire of the “Make America Great Again,” or MAGA, crowd after citing research linking the Trump administration’s USAID cuts to 300,000 preventable deaths — 200,000 of them children — during a fiery appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast. He pointed to food aid rotting due to halted funding, saying the situation “will f*** you off.” Trump supporters, including erstwhile ally Elon Musk — who appears to have well and truly ended his bromance with the president (at least for now) — hit back, calling Bono a “liar/idiot.” The controversial claim stems from modeling by infectious disease expert Brooke Nichols. AIDS 2026 heads to Rio. The next International AIDS Conference will take place in Rio de Janeiro and online from July 25-30, 2026, the International AIDS Society announced. Up to 10,000 participants are expected at a moment of mounting concern. “The HIV response hangs in the balance,” said IAS President Beatriz Grinsztejn, citing shifting geopolitics and funding cuts. Brazil, praised for its science-based HIV policy, is seen as an ideal host. The conference will spotlight progress, challenges, and neglected groups across Latin America. Registration opens in November 2025, with scholarships and discounted rates to boost global access. Unite breaks up with Oxfam. Unite — a U.K.-based labor union — has been protesting at Oxfam’s London, Oxford, and Manchester offices, slamming the charity’s proposed redundancies and outsourcing moves. “It’s clear that the outsourcing plan is a mistake,” said Oxfam worker Amit Srivastava. Oxfam says the proposals aim to secure its financial future, not replace staff with “non-unionised casual labour.” But internal documents reviewed by Civil Society point to potential outsourcing in publishing and learning roles. Unite argues the plan undermines workers’ rights and urges Oxfam to rethink. Collective consultations have been extended until July 1 as protests and petitions continue. Mediterranean in crisis. In a symbolic dive off Marseille, France, ahead of the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice from June 9-13, freediving world champion Alessia Zecchini urged France to ban bottom trawling in the Gulf of Lion Fisheries Restricted Area and protect the Mediterranean’s most vulnerable ecosystems. Wearing a wetsuit that read “PROTECT-ENFORCE-RESTORE,” Zecchini dived 40 meters in waters where destructive fishing persists despite protections. “As a professional diver, the sea is my life, but now, when I dive in the Mediterranean, I see a desertified landscape. I used to dive since a young child, and today, some twenty years later, I’m witnessing the worsening of the Mediterranean crisis,” she said. The high-level conference — focused on advancing Sustainable Development Goal 14 — is co-hosted by France and Costa Rica and seeks to promote the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas, and marine resources. But as MedReAct's Domitilla Senni argued: “France cannot credibly lead global ocean protection while failing at home.” Travel bans backlash. The African Union Commission has responded to new U.S. travel restrictions targeting several countries, including some in Africa. While acknowledging “the sovereign right of all nations to protect their borders,” the commission urged the U.S. to do so in a way that is “balanced, evidence-based, and reflective of the long-standing partnership between the United States and Africa.” It warned of the potential harm to people-to-people ties, educational exchange, and diplomacy, and called for “a more consultative approach” and “transparent communication.” Crisis of credibility. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has a new face: evangelical leader and Trump adviser Johnnie Moore, who takes the helm after the project’s first executive director, Jake Wood, resigned, saying he couldn’t guarantee the group’s independence after reports surfaced questioning the group’s neutrality and connections with Israel. Moore, who once told the U.N. chief that reports of Palestinians being killed at aid sites were “a lie … spread by terrorists,” said critics are undermining humanitarian work. “False reporting of violence at our sites has a chilling effect on the local population,” Moore said. But as major partners such as the Boston Consulting Group abandon ship, citing a lack of oversight and stakeholder buy-in, aid groups point to Moore’s thin resume in humanitarian crises. And as allegations of shootings and killings pile up, questions around GHF’s credibility — and independence — aren’t going away anytime soon. ✉️ Do you have insights into any of this week’s bits and pieces? Let me know by replying to this email. In memoriam Stanley Fischer, a renowned macroeconomist, central banker, and mentor to a generation of global financial leaders, has died at 81. From shaping Israel’s economy to serving as the U.S. Federal Reserve vice chair, Fischer left a profound mark on institutions from the International Monetary Fund to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His students included former Fed chair Ben Bernanke; Mario Draghi, a former European Central Bank president and former prime minister of Italy; and Larry Summers, U.S. Treasury secretary under Bill Clinton. As economist Olivier Blanchard once put it: “It is hard to think of any other macroeconomist alive who has had as much direct and indirect influence, through his own research, his students, and his policy decisions, on macroeconomic policy around the world.” Moving on Gavi’s board has approved Trump administration nominee Mark Kevin Lloyd to its 28-member body. Lloyd, now leading global health programs at USAID, steps in as questions swirl over whether the Trump administration will honor the $1.58 billion pledge made by former President Joe Biden last year — or eliminate funding to the alliance. His appointment comes as Gavi enters a key replenishment cycle, with a pledging summit set for later this month. Lloyd, a former Trump campaign official with a controversial record, replaces Biden-era board member Dr. Atul Gawande. The move may signal some form of continued U.S. engagement — or more upheaval ahead for the vaccine alliance. The Inter-American Development Bank has appointed Laura Alfaro as chief economist and economic counselor, marking a new phase for the bank’s research under its IDBImpact+ vision, which aims to embed economic analysis more directly into operations, policy, and strategy. A dual U.S.-Costa Rican citizen, Alfaro brings deep regional policy experience and academic expertise, having served as Costa Rica’s planning minister and a Harvard Business School professor. “Our region needs bold ideas, rigorous analysis, and genuine collaboration,” she said. Alfaro succeeds Eric Parrado and will lead work on key challenges like productivity, fiscal sustainability, and artificial intelligence, aiming to turn research into real-world impact across Latin America and the Caribbean. Delese Mimi Darko, currently CEO of Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority, has been appointed the first director-general of the African Medicines Agency. “Her appointment marks the operational birth of a continental agency with the power to reshape Africa’s pharmaceutical landscape,” said AU special envoy Michel Sidibé. A long-awaited milestone, the AMA aims to harmonize drug regulations across Africa, boost local manufacturing, and reduce reliance on imports. The appointment follows years of slow progress since the treaty was adopted in 2019. Only 28 countries have ratified it so far. Enoh T. Ebong has been named president of the global development department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The former USTDA director brings decades of experience connecting U.S. innovation with global south priorities. “Global development is undergoing profound change,” she said. “I am honored to lead CSIS’s dedicated and visionary global development team at such a pivotal moment.” Guillaume Grosso is starting a new position as general manager, Europe, Middle East, and Africa, and global policy and advocacy at Global Citizen. Mette Ide Davidsen will step into a new role as director of the newly established Global and Public Health Department at the Novo Nordisk Foundation. She will bring together three teams: health promotion, prevention and equity; health systems and economics; and global health. She hands over the regional offices in India and Kenya to the new Global Presence Department. Did we miss one? Is there a change on the horizon? Let us know at devexpro@devex.com. Up next ‘Service of Gratitude’ for aid workers. A “Service of Gratitude” ceremony will be held today at 3 p.m. in Arlington, Virginia, to pay tribute to international development workers. “To lift them (us) up and honor them despite all of the drastic changes,” the interfaith ceremony — hosted by area Presbyterian churches — will celebrate those connected to USAID, Peace Corps, and others working in global development. A reception follows at 4 p.m. at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 5533 16th Street N. “We are grateful for those directly employed by USAID and for those who supported the work … through organizations that carried out USAID contracts and grants,” organizers said. More info on LinkedIn. 2025 Concordia Europe Summit. This invitation-only gathering will take place in London from June 8 to 10. Given the monumental shifts in transatlantic relations and Europe’s foreign aid cuts, the Concordia summit says it “is strategically positioned to examine the region’s approach to facing today’s challenges and opportunities.” Our Business Editor David Ainsworth will be in attendance. Will you be there? Drop him a line at david.ainsworth@devex.com. Jobs of the week Your Devex Pro subscription includes access to the world’s largest global development job board. Here are some of the latest high-level opportunities: • Senior Treasury Officer, Asian Development Bank.