THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL-MAY 2025 15 The president of the Iowa Farmers Union said USAID is important for farmers. It’s unfortunate that we would drop those relationships that we have built over time. The Ohio Farmers Union president said USAID plays a crucial role not only providing food aid to millions around the world, but also directly purchasing grain from Ohio farmers. Ohio farmers are more than capable of rising to the challenge of feeding the world, but they need stability to do so. —Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), during a House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing, “The USAID Betrayal, ” Feb. 13. And when done right, USAID has made it possible for the U.S. to connect with other nations on a societal level. Now as we look at America’s diplomatic effectiveness, when done right, I commend the opportunities that USAID has provided to students. These successes make USAID’s wasteful programs all the more heartbreaking. … My hope is that Secretary Rubio maintains what works, but hopefully it’s clear that USAID needs to change. —Del. James Moylan (R-Guam), during a House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing, “The USAID Betrayal, ” Feb. 13. USAID and our foreign assistance, it’s not charity. It helps our country. It helps us grow as leaders. That ultimately helps our security. It also helps grow our economy when we can build ties with businesses in these other nations and be able to have access to their markets to sell American goods. Ronald Reagan was a strong supporter of this idea that our national security is based off of defense, diplomacy, and development—that we have different tools in our toolbox. You can’t use the military for every single [thing]. Diplomacy can only work in certain types of circumstances. Development helps us open doors. —Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.), to The Washingtonian, March 3. The ACLU filed a lawsuit on Feb. 7 arguing that the order is unconstitutional and fails “to comply with requirements to provide notice and comment for changes to government forms.” 89 Seconds to Midnight The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved its Doomsday Clock forward by one second in January, setting it at 89 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever been to midnight, representing global catastrophe. At a press conference on Jan. 28, former Colombian President and Nobel laureate Juan Manuel Santos, alongside Princeton Professor Emeritus Robert Socolow, said the change reflects growing concern by the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board about the war in Ukraine, the collapse of nuclear arms control agreements, and extreme climate events that have intensified over the past year. Bulletin scientists also pointed to AI’s role in spreading misinformation and its potential misuse in biological weapon development. The Doomsday Clock, first introduced in 1947, was originally set at seven minutes to midnight, symbolizing the nuclear tensions of the Cold War. The furthest it has been from global catastrophe was 17 minutes to midnight in 1991, following U.S.-Soviet nuclear disarmament agreements. Despite the bleak assessment, the Bulletin stated that solutions remain within reach, urging the U.S., China, and Russia to cooperate on nuclear and climate policies. “Every second counts,” Santos said. “We must act before it’s too late.” JOSH Heard on the Hill Radio Silence The U.S. Agency for Global Media, parent entity to Voice of America (VOA) and other U.S. government– funded international broadcasting, was essentially shut down on March 15. All VOA full-time staff were put on administrative leave, and funding to affiliated broadcasters including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was cut. This follows an executive order on reducing the federal bureaucracy issued March 14, aiming to “eliminate non-statutory functions and reduce statutory functions of unnecessary governmental entities to what is required by law.” In a March 15 press release, AFSA condemned the move, calling it an unconstitutional overreach that weakens U.S. foreign policy and vowing to fight for its reinstatement: “Dismantling VOA undermines America’s ability to counter disinformation and promote press freedom.” n This edition of Talking Points was compiled by Mark Parkhomenko. WIKIMEDIA/RICHARD-59
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