Gratitude may seem like an odd response to a crisis.
Much has been said about the chaos caused by the shutdown of USAID since President Donald Trump took office in early 2025. Headlines paint both a picture of wasted resources and of devastation — halted critical programs, organizational closures, job losses, and millions of vulnerable lives left hanging in the balance.
Yet in the midst of lamenting over what has been lost, we have overlooked an important truth: U.S. foreign aid has been critical in transforming lives. For all the disruption its withdrawal has so far caused, we must also remember how much good it has done.
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About the author
Laurence Lien
Laurence Lien is chair and co-founder of Asia Philanthropy Circle, a network for collective impactful giving, and was previously a nominated member of the Parliament of Singapore. He is also the chair of the Lien Foundation.
