SERVICE DISRUPTED USAID DISMANTLED PLUS PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION APRIL-MAY 2025 The Evolution of U.S.-Vietnam Relations
4 APRIL-MAY 2025 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 18 Vietnam and the United States: The Way Ahead By Ted Osius 24 A Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: U.S.-Vietnam Ties at 30 Years By Marc E. Knapper 28 Peace, Cooperation, and Global Progress: 30 Years of Vietnam-U.S. Diplomacy By H.E. Nguyen Quoc Dzung April-May 2025 Volume 102, No. 3 31 The Last Steps of Normalization: Reflections of the U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, 2001-2004 By Raymond Burghardt 35 Toward a More “Geopolitically Driven” Relationship: Reflections of the U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, 2011-2014 By David B. Shear FOCUS ON THE U.S.-VIETNAM RELATIONSHIP 39 The Tết Offensive: Six Hours That Transformed America By Kenneth M. Quinn 43 Through the Visa Window: Those Who Leave, Those We Left, Those Who Stay By Greg Naarden and Charles Helms 47 Stone Fruit Diplomacy: From the Golden State to the Land of the Blue Dragon By Marc Gilkey
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL-MAY 2025 5 FEATURE: SERVICE DISRUPTED 51 Lives Upended: The Impact of USAID’s Dismantling on Those Who Serve By Members of the Foreign Service FS KNOW-HOW 57 A Brief RIF Explainer By David Roberts LIFE AFTER THE FOREIGN SERVICE 60 Discovering Extended Family at Spirit of America By Chaz Martin APPRECIATION 80 Jimmy Carter: Diplomats Remember PERSPECTIVES 7 President’s Views A Diplomacy Success Story for Today By Tom Yazdgerdi 16 Speaking Out An Open Letter on USAID to the Secretary of State By Steven E. Hendrix 97 Reflections Early Days in the Operations Center By Jonathan B. Rickert 98 Local Lens Fethiye, Türkiye By Andrea Nagy DEPARTMENTS 8 Letters 10 Letters-Plus 11 Talking Points 85 In Memory 89 Books MARKETPLACE 92 Real Estate 95 Classifieds 96 Index to Advertisers 67 S upporting Access to Virginia Schools for FS Families 68 S tate VP Voice— Navigating Uncertainty in the FS Evaluation Cycle 69 USAID VP Voice— Foreign Assistance Is Vital 70 FAS VP Voice— FAS Provides Massive Returns on Investment 71 Retiree VP Voice—Providing for Your Next of Kin 71 USAID Alumni Group Fundraising 72 A FSA Update on Reductions in Force 73 In Case You Missed It 74 FSJ Reader Survey 76 C hanges to Pet Travel Policies 77 Revamping the FSN Emergency Relief Fund 78 AFSA Welcomes New Members 78 AFSA Governing Board Meeting, January 15, 2025 79 AFSA Hosts State and USAID Town Halls 79 AFSA’s New Membership Intern AFSA NEWS THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF AFSA ON THE COVER: Photo by NicolasMcComber/iStock. 98 As we go to press, AFSA is confronting an executive order that eliminates collective bargaining rights for federal unions. AFSA will keep members posted on developments and continue to stand up for the Foreign Service. 60
6 APRIL-MAY 2025 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL www.sfiprogram.org SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY INITIATIVE SFI-01268 Certified Sourcing Editor in Chief, Director of Publications Shawn Dorman: dorman@afsa.org Deputy Editor Donna Gorman: gorman@afsa.org Senior Editor Susan Brady Maitra: maitra@afsa.org Managing Editor Kathryn Owens: owens@afsa.org Associate Editor Mark Parkhomenko: parkhomenko@afsa.org Publications Coordinator and Content Strategist Hannah Harari: harari@afsa.org Business Development Manager— Advertising and Circulation Molly Long: long@afsa.org Art Director Caryn Suko Smith Editorial Board Vivian Walker, Chair Lynette Behnke, Gov. Bd. Liaison Suzanne August David Bargueño Ben East Hon. Jennifer Z. 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THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL-MAY 2025 7 A Diplomacy Success Story for Today BY TOM YAZDGERDI Tom Yazdgerdi is the president of the American Foreign Service Association. PRESIDENT’S VIEWS This edition of The Foreign Service Journal focuses on the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon and the 30th anniversary of renewed relations with Vietnam. As our nation reflects on these milestones, we should look at the lessons they may hold for this time of upheaval, including the dismantling of USAID and what appears to likely be a thinning out of our career Foreign Service. First, it is noteworthy that, as in rebuilding relations, the dedication of the U.S. Foreign Service was conspicuous on the ground during the Vietnam War itself, as Ambassador Kenneth Quinn reminds us in his riveting reflection on the 1968 Tết Offensive. Like Quinn, hundreds from the State Department and USAID served under life-threatening conditions in the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam’s Civil Operations and Rural Development Support (CORDS) program, and other efforts over more than a decade. Once diplomatic relations were reestablished in 1995, a series of U.S. ambassadors built on the successes of their predecessors to augment and deepen our relationship with Vietnam. In this edition, four career diplomat ambassadors offer firsthand accounts of this work. The U.S.- Vietnam relationship’s evolution from the depths of war and destruction to a dynamic and constructive partnership is “a remarkable story of diplomatic accomplishment,” writes Ambassador Ted Osius, the sixth U.S. ambassador to Vietnam, to sum it up in his overview. Ambassador Ray Burghardt completed the process of normalization, building the groundwork for a more strategic relationship. Ambassador David Shear led the work to deepen trust. Current U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper oversaw the largest peacetime deployment of U.S. military equipment to Vietnam since the war—for the 2024 International Defense Expo. As Knapper points out, “ensuring Vietnam has the capabilities needed to protect its interests … provides security for the United States as part of our strategy to keep the Indo-Pacific free and open.” The U.S. and Vietnam now enjoy a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). Buttressed by bipartisan support and leadership from Congress, the impressive turnaround underscores the importance of diplomacy and development assistance. Vietnam’s Ambassador to the United States H.E. Nguyen Quoc Dzung writes in this edition that “the Vietnam-U.S. relationship serves as a powerful testament to the spirit of reconciliation and healing between the two nations, exemplifying a model for promoting peace and cooperation in the future.” Marc Gilkey, an FSO with the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), highlights “stone fruit diplomacy” as one aspect of the mutually beneficial economic relationship. But how does this all relate to the present-day circumstances? In a word, the U.S.-Vietnam relationship is outstanding evidence of the critical value of a well-supported career Foreign Service. Without respect and understanding for what professional diplomats do and the need for people and resources to do it, durable successes like this will not happen. Our rivals, particularly China, will move to fill the void, and our country will only be worse for it. As we at AFSA continue to reach out to our congressional champions to shore up bipartisan support for the Foreign Service, I have to remain hopeful. Though AFSA can’t stop reductions in force (RIF) from happening, we can and will hold management to account on following the regulations. Please see the FS Know-How article on RIFs by FSO David Roberts and guidance in AFSA News. Because the rules on RIFs were not followed at USAID, AFSA is preparing a class action suit to challenge the process. Meanwhile, our lawsuit asserting that the dismantling of USAID is unconstitutional is awaiting summary judgment. Please also read the poignant stories of our USAID colleagues in the collection, “Service Disrupted.” No one can hear these voices and be unmoved by the chaos that has befallen these patriotic Americans for working to protect U.S. interests and make the world a better place. Please let me know what you think at yazdgerdi@afsa.org or member@afsa.org. n As we go to press, AFSA is confronting an executive order that eliminates collective bargaining rights for federal unions. AFSA will keep members posted on developments and continue to stand up for the Foreign Service.
8 APRIL-MAY 2025 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL LETTERS Thank You, AFSA! Thank you to AFSA for supporting the Foreign Service and for the Feb. 3 statement objecting to the administration’s decision to dismantle the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), covered in the March 2025 FSJ’s AFSA News, “In Defense of the U.S. Foreign Service and USAID.” I couldn’t agree more. I spent my life as a Foreign Service kid (my father, William Gibson, was with Diplomatic Security and served last as the regional security officer in Tokyo), and I saw firsthand how important the work of our Civil and Foreign Services are, including with regard to our safety at home and abroad. Keep up the good work and let us know how we can help. Kathryn (Gibson) Eberhart Severna Park, Maryland Changing Foreign Service Culture Congratulations to the Journal for its many recent articles aimed at updating the Foreign Service—in particular, those in the December 2024 FSJ by George Krol (“The Foreign Service at 100: It’s Time for Renewal”) and John Marks (“Social Entrepreneurship and the Professional Diplomat”). I’ve addressed similar issues in my own Speaking Out articles: “Is the Foreign Service Still a Profession?” (June 2011 FSJ) and “A Plea for Greater Teamwork in the Foreign Service” (December 2013 FSJ). Ambassador Krol writes that for an ambitious officer, training and overseas assignments can be seen as obstacles to promotion. From my experience as director of training assignments in my day, I say check. He sees the Service dominated at highest ranks by those officers on fast tracks from executive assistants to senior positions in Washington and as ambassadors, without notable experience at desks or subordinate positions at embassies overseas. Check. Krol describes step by step his own purposeful concentration on picking assignments that specifically broadened his experience of jobs overseas and in Washington—just as my friend Ambassador Samuel Lewis has described carefully doing throughout his own career, with its due rewards. This reinforces Krol’s main argument that it is too easy to minimize the value of extensive and varied experience abroad (which he and I agree should be a necessary ingredient to effective foreign policy) in favor of a quicker rise in Washington through attention only to policies that suit domestic American political ambitions. (Perhaps you can call this “Wristonization” gone berserk.) Interestingly, Krol cites an “eight-year rule” that prohibits domestic assignment of FSOs for more than eight consecutive years. This is a rule I had never heard of in more than 30 years of service, and one I never saw applied to some FSOs who rose all the way to the top. Last but not least, I applaud John Marks’ description of the good Track II work done by retired diplomats, particularly my friend and frequent boss Assistant Secretary, Ambassador, and Foreign Service Director General “Roy” Atherton and my school classmate and longtime friend Assistant Secretary and Ambassador Samuel Lewis. Unfortunately, this does not modify my growing suspicion that arguing for group cohesion at the expense of individual ambitions in the Foreign Service may never succeed. The fact is that America has mainly been built by individuals coming to improve their own lives among relative strangers, unlike the case of diplomats from more ancient countries like Britain, France, Russia, and many others who have lived together longer and have older common traditions to guide their behavior. George B. Lambrakis, PhD Senior FSO, retired Brighton/Hove, England Don’t Forget About Language Skills English may be the language of the boardroom, but English is never the language of the bar. This adage is known well by world language educators and by those who are successful working internationally and interculturally. In the context of U.S. diplomacy, English may be necessary and sufficient in formal situations, but English alone is insufficient in many informal settings. And it is in informal settings in which relationships can begin to form and the foundations of trust be laid. The new administration must continue to steer American foreign policy through a tremendous number of international challenges, almost immediately. This will require cooperation across many nations with diverse and diverging interests. It will also require convincing
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL-MAY 2025 9 foreign governments and local populations of the salubriousness of American policy and projects. When you speak in another’s language, you speak with the weight of that society’s history, culture, and values. It is critical that American embassies be equipped with myriad highly skilled, bilingual professionals. This cadre of diplomats, who are essential workers, will serve as the face of U.S. foreign policy within host countries. They will explain American interests and values to the societies of the world in a language accessible to the majority of that society. Bilingualism is an essential tool for these essential workers. While not every member of an embassy team needs perfect fluency in a local language, it would be prudent for American diplomacy to err on bilingualism being a default quality of embassy staff, and English monolingualism reserved for those in exceptional circumstances. This reality should become the norm at all levels of the Foreign Service. Within embassies, American diplomats should be encouraged and supported to undertake language learning that would maximize their effectiveness within the host country. Subsequently, this norm should permeate the FSO candidate selection process. Candidates with exceptional bilingual proficiencies, particularly those with advanced proficiencies in rare or critically important languages to national security or American interests, should be prioritized within the selection process. As highly competent, bilingual U.S. diplomats, they will succeed in advancing U.S. interests when given clear policies and realistic objectives. Dr. Roger W. Anderson Independent Scholar Monterey, California Engaging Religious International Youth Today’s youth must navigate an increasingly complex religious landscape. Our experiences with religion are being influenced by the breakdown of traditional religious institutions, the impact of social media on religious practices, and the deterioration of the current world order. To achieve prosperity and security for Americans, the new administration will therefore need to take a hard look at the preexisting whole-of-government and agency-specific strategies, policies, and procedures for promoting religious freedom, openness, and tolerance among the world’s youth. Otherwise, American diplomats will struggle to make strategic choices that advance our national interests among the world’s youth. More than a decade ago, the Obama administration released the National Strategy on Integrating Religious Leader and Faith Community Engagement into U.S. Foreign Policy, but it was a missed opportunity because it failed to include an explicit reference to youth in its strategic objectives. To shift the needle, the Trump administration should consider creating a new national strategy centered on the promotion of freedom, openness, and tolerance to integrate international youth religious engagement into U.S. foreign policy. Among the elements of such a program, the new administration could, for example, leverage the “International Religious Freedom Reports” to systematically generate a high-quality country-level dataset that sheds light on the nature, scope, and distribution of youth religious experiences; champion industry standards for promoting and safeguarding international youth religious freedom, openness, and tolerance in artificial intelligence and social media; and develop a program-specific sanctions program to accomplish the national security and foreign policy goals articulated in the new national strategy. One of the added benefits of a new national strategy is that it would provide a useful platform for the new administration to reset bilateral relations with a number of countries around the world— for example, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which has made it a national priority to promote tolerance in its primary and secondary education systems. His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan declared 2019 to be the “Year of Tolerance.” That initiative was intended to position the UAE as “a communication bridge between countries and different cultures of the world by promoting coexistence and upholding the values of dialogue, respect, acceptance, kindness and openness.” The initiative revolved around a set of seven pillars that included tolerance in education. The new administration could take inspiration from the UAE framework. Such a move would not only boost the prestige of the UAE on the world stage; it would strengthen the cultural bonds between our two countries. Kana Walsh Youth Ambassador U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Washington, D.C. and Michael Walsh Occasional Lecturer Foreign Service Institute Munich, Germany n Share your thoughts about this month’s issue. Submit letters to the editor: journal@afsa.org
10 APRIL-MAY 2025 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL LETTERS-PLUS Requiem for the Voice That Carried a Nation’s Conscience BY STEVE HERMAN I am speaking here in my personal capacity and not as a representative of any agency or organization, past, present or future … My colleagues and our broadcasts— devoted to telling America’s story to the world, honestly, fairly, and with an unwavering commitment to the truth—are being silenced this weekend. The de facto destruction of the Voice of America (VOA) is nothing less than a betrayal of the ideals that gave birth to the institution and made it relevant throughout World War II, the Cold War, and in the decades after the collapse of the Berlin Wall. VOA has been a trusted presence—not just because of what was said, but how it was said. With facts. With fairness and with balance, no matter which political party was in power. I had the honor of serving on the front lines in dozens of countries—reporting on TV, radio, and the Web—from conflict zones, covering historic summits, and in more recent years navigating the complexities of global diplomacy as VOA’s White House bureau chief and then its chief national correspondent. I was in Fukushima, as radioactive fallout descended, immediately after the quake and tsunami that caused a nuclear disaster, delivering timely, accurate information when panic and misinformation threatened public safety. I boarded military helicopters to reach the worst-affected communities destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, to bear witness to unimaginable devastation, while giving voice to those who had lost everything. Whether it was filing stories from war zones or pressing presidents and other leaders in palaces for answers on major geopolitical issues, I always understood that my duty was not to power, but to VOA’s stakeholders and our global audiences, especially in countries without a free or developed press. Many of our colleagues risked their lives to get the story right—journalists whose voices were sometimes the only source of truth in their native languages. I’ve met many in our audience who told me VOA gave them their first taste of freedom, led to their decisions to defect from authoritarian lands, or that they now speak our language because of VOA’s Learning English broadcasts. Destroying VOA (along with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia) is a national security issue. These entities, funded by the American people, have been among the most effective instruments of American soft power—a bridge to those who may never set foot on our soil, but understand our values because they heard them in one of the dozens of languages in which we broadcast. To eliminate these institutions is to turn our backs on those around the world who have counted on us. It is to surrender a unique platform that no other country can replicate. It was never just about America’s voice—it was about America’s integrity. There will be celebrations in the autocratic halls of power this weekend in Moscow, Minsk, Beijing, Pyongyang, and Tehran. They will cheer the totally ridiculous excuses that it was necessary to burn down the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) because its broadcast outlets have become riddled with spies, and its journalists have colluded with “radical Leftist advocacy organizations” and created “false narratives.” Such canards were hurled at VOA during the 1950s red-baiting and, again, under a previous short-lived USAGM politically appointed leadership. Historians and outside unbiased investigators concluded such charges were unfounded then, and they are likely without merit now. It would not be surprising to see legal challenges against such defamations in the weeks and months ahead. Any hope of ultimately saving VOA and the other USAGM broadcasters might rest with the judiciary. All at VOA, who swore an oath to the Constitution, strove daily to live up to our charter: to be accurate, objective, and comprehensive. That promise, more than any broadcast or byline, is a legacy worth protecting. To effectively shutter the Voice of America is to dim a beacon that burned bright during some of the darkest hours since 1942. Veritatem dilexi. n Steve Herman, a member of the U.S. Foreign Service, is a Voice of America senior correspondent (and former AFSA Governing Board member). This essay was posted on his Substack (@newsguy) on March 15, 2025.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL-MAY 2025 11 TALKING POINTS Dismantling of USAID The dismantling of USAID began shortly after the new administration took office and froze foreign assistance program funding by executive order on Jan. 20 (“Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid”). On Feb. 27 and 28, USAID employees in Washington, D.C., were given 15 minutes each to clear out their offices at the Ronald Reagan Building. Hundreds of supporters showed up to clap them out, holding signs and distributing hugs and food as the staff exited. U.S. and international journalists from as far away as Japan covered the event. On March 12, 13, and 14, USAID employees at the annexes were also given 15 minutes to collect belongings and evacuate their offices. The acting assistant administrator for global health at USAID, Nicholas Enrich, was fired on March 2 after drafting a series of memos outlining how cuts to USAID’s programs “will lead to increased death and disability, accelerate global disease spread, contribute to destabilizing fragile regions, and heightened security risks—directly endangering American national security, economic stability, and public health.” On March 10, Judge Amir H. Ali of the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia barred the Trump administration from “unlawfully impounding congressionally appropriated foreign aid funds” that the State Department and USAID owed to grant recipients and contractors, requiring it to pay for work completed before Feb. 13. Also on March 10, Democracy Forward and Public Citizen Litigation Group filed a motion for summary relief on behalf of AFSA, AFGE, and Oxfam America to block the Trump administration from dismantling USAID. They wrote that the administration has “shuttered life-saving projects On March 10, remaining USAID employees were instructed via email by Acting Executive Secretary of USAID Erica Y. Carr to report to the Ronald Reagan Building on March 11 to clear out classified safes and personnel documents. They were to “shred as many documents first and reserve the burn bags for when the shredder becomes unavailable or needs a break.” AFSA noted in its March 11 press release that it is illegal to destroy government documents, as the Federal Records Act of 1950 established strict requirements for the retention of official records, particularly those that may be relevant to legal proceedings. An emergency motion for a temporary restraining order was granted by the D.C. Circuit Court. In court filings, USAID leadership denied violating any laws and pledged that no additional documents at RRB would be destroyed without notifying AFSA counsel. We will continue to update this story in future editions. People carrying signs turned out in force at USAID HQ on Feb. 27 and 28 to show support for USAID staff given just 15 minutes to gather their belongings and leave the building. AFSA funded and developed by the agency, leaving people to suffer and to die by the thousands. They have halted disease surveillance efforts, leaving Americans vulnerable to dangerous pathogens. … These actions have had untold costs, for the United States and for the world. These actions are also unlawful.” Also on March 10, Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “After a 6 week review we are officially cancelling 83 percent of the programs at USAID. The 5,200 contracts that are now cancelled spent tens of billions of dollars in ways that did not serve, (and in some cases even harmed), the core national interests of the United States. In consultation with Congress, we intend for the remaining 18 percent [sic] of programs we are keeping (approximately 1,000) to now be administered more effectively under the State Department. Thank you to DOGE and our hardworking staff who worked very long hours to achieve this overdue and historic reform.” Along with the termination of assistance projects is the news that the Payne Fellowship program has been canceled. This competitive merit-based program was a recruitment tool for bringing outstanding candidates to the USAID Foreign Service, supporting fellows through graduate school and internships.
12 APRIL-MAY 2025 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Paris AI Summit Exposes Global Divides The AI Action Summit in Paris, cohosted by France and India on Feb. 10 and 11, brought together nearly 100 countries and more than 1,000 representatives to discuss the future of artificial intelligence. Instead of fostering unity, the event exposed divides over regulation, competition, and cooperation. The U.S. and U.K. refused to sign the AI Action Summit Declaration on inclusive and sustainable AI. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance dismissed global regulation as restrictive, emphasizing American leadership and warning against AI partnerships with China. The U.K. echoed concerns over security but distanced itself from the U.S. position rejecting governance frameworks. French President Emmanuel Macron positioned Europe as an AI hub, pointing to its reliance on nuclear energy as an advantage. The European Commission pushed for balanced regulation, prioritizing sustainability and human rights. Meanwhile, AI safety remained a top concern, with experts warning of risks. However, global competition overshadowed discussions of regulation. A major announcement was the launch of Current AI, a $400 million initiative backed by France, Google, and various philanthropists, aimed at developing ethical AI models. China, represented by Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing, sought collaboration on AI security, while Chinese firms like DeepSeek showcased advancements that rival Western models. News of Elon Musk’s $100 billion bid to take over OpenAI sparked speculation about AI’s future governance. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman dismissed the offer, saying that OpenAI was “not for sale” and playfully suggesting they could buy Twitter instead. With competition intensifying and regulatory frameworks in flux, the debate will continue when India hosts the next AI summit. EducationUSA Stalled by Policy Shifts State Department employees advising international students on U.S. higher education opportunities are struggling with unclear federal guidance. EducationUSA, a State Department initiative operating in 175 countries, helps recruit students to U.S. institutions. However, in the wake of a Trump administration executive order on diversity-related language, EducationUSA staffers have received conflicting directives on how to discuss or promote their programs. Initially, a now-rescinded internal document titled “EducationUSA Messaging Guidance: America First” advised employees to avoid terms like “diversity,” “underrepresented,” and “minority.” The lack of clarity has left staff uncertain about how to conduct outreach, potentially affecting international student recruitment. International students contribute billions of dollars to the U.S. economy, with more than 1.1 million students enrolled in 2024 alone, according to EducationUSA. The confusion over messaging could hurt enrollment decisions, particularly among students from underrepresented backgrounds. Fulbright Scholars Stranded Worldwide The funding freeze has hit participants in one of the most wellknown and prestigious U.S. government programs, leaving both U.S. and international Fulbright scholars and grant recipients stranded abroad and in the U.S. without enough money to pay their bills or return home. In an email, the nonprofit Fulbright Association informed Fulbright alumni that the funding freeze has hit “over 12,500 American students, youth, and professionals currently abroad or scheduled to participate in State Department programs in the next six months.” An additional 7,400 international students also lost their funding. Administered by the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), the Fulbright program was created in 1946 and has The tools of foreign policy, as I’ve learned, are defense, diplomacy, and development. And the development part is the soft power. We’re not sending troops into Asia and Africa and Latin America. We’re sending hundreds of thousands of civilians without uniforms, who are there to represent the United States, and to pursue common goals together— whether it’s stemming the tide of fentanyl coming across the border, addressing climate disasters, protecting the world from disease. And that soft power is a reflection of our values, what we stand for—our strong belief in freedom, self-determination, and advancement of people’s economies; bringing more stability and peace to the world. —Atul Gawande, former assistant administrator for global health at USAID, to The New Yorker on March 15. Contemporary Quote (Continued on page 14)
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL-MAY 2025 13 W hat we should vociferously oppose is a “spoils system” in connection with the appointment of ambassadors. The sale of embassies to the highest bidder or the use of them for consolation prizes for defeated politicians is not only repugnant—it is also dangerous. —Retired Foreign Service Officer Thomas J. Dunnigan in “Letters to FSJ” in the April 1975 edition of The Foreign Service Journal. USAID and America’s foreign assistance programs are vital to our interests, the career men and women of USAID have served each of us well, and it is the duty of the Administration and Congress to swiftly protect the Agency’s statutory role. —Former USAID Administrators J. Brian Atwood, Peter McPherson, Andrew Natsios, Samantha Power, and Gayle Smith in a Feb. 5 statement. History will not look kindly on this avoidable tragedy—for the hundreds of millions in need, for U.S. leadership and moral authority around the world, and for U.S. national security, as global competitors like China and Russia rush to fill the gap we have created. … When Presidents, Cabinet Secretaries, and Members of Congress are welcomed in countries of Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, South Asia, and Europe, the concrete manifestations of U.S. government support have been the humanitarian and development programs supported by USAID. These programs represent less than one percent of the federal budget but have given the United States enormous capacity for influence. —Letter from 200-plus former U.S. ambassadors and national security officials to Congress, Feb. 14. Foreign assistance is critical to national security. It builds allies, strengthens ties, expands trade; it encourages countries to cooperate on common interests—containing disease, creating jobs, ending illiteracy, and attacking cross-border issues like terrorism, crime, and misuse of natural resources which are too big for one country to take on alone. … Gutting USAID will have grave consequences for the countries in which USAID operates, America’s reputation, and U.S. national security. … The harm these actions will cause cannot be overstated. As USAID closes critical programs, the vacuum left will be filled by our adversaries. —USAID Alumni Association in a Feb. 11 letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Every President since the end of World War II has understood the important role that economic and development assistance has played in securing our well-being. USAID has been the leading U.S. government assistance agency for over 60 years. Along with our military, diplomatic, and intelligence services, it has been a vital guarantor of our national security. … The brave and devoted American officers who make up USAID serve around the world in difficult and dangerous places, bringing a message of hope and solidarity from the American people. —American Academy of Diplomacy, Statement on USAID Closure, Feb. 6. We have seen attempts at wholesale dismantling of departments and entities created by Congress without seeking the required congressional approval to change the law. These actions do not make America stronger. They make us weaker. … USAID employees assigned to build programs that benefit foreign countries are being doxed, harassed, and given conflicting information about their employment status. These stories should concern all Americans because they are our family members, neighbors, and friends. … Refusing to spend money appropriated by Congress under the euphemism of a pause is a violation of the rule of law. The money appropriated by Congress must be spent in accordance with what Congress has said. —American Bar Association, Statement on the Rule of Law, Feb. 10. Statements of Support for USAID 50 Years Ago Diplomacy for Sale
14 APRIL-MAY 2025 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL since supported more than 400,000 people to study, teach, and do research in the U.S. and abroad. As of press time in mid-March, there was no clarity on when and whether Fulbright funding would be restored to current grant recipients and those in the pipeline. SIGAR Releases 66th Quarterly Report The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has released its 66th Quarterly Report to Congress, providing an update on U.S. assistance to Afghanistan amid shifting policy directives and a foreign assistance funding freeze. The State Department and USAID halted funding reviews and issued stop-work orders on existing foreign assistance projects in Afghanistan. Since its withdrawal in 2021, the U.S. has spent approximately $3.71 billion in Afghanistan, with most of the funding directed to UN agencies and the Afghanistan Resilience Trust Fund. An additional $1.2 billion remains available for potential disbursement. The report identifies concerns that the Taliban continues to hold U.S. citizens hostage, restrict women’s rights, and provide safe haven to terrorist groups. SIGAR suggests that the U.S. government should reassess its approach to ensuring aid does not inadvertently benefit the Taliban regime. A pressing issue raised in the report is the status of $4 billion in Afghan central bank assets, held in the Swiss-based Fund for the Afghan People. The report notes that Congress and the administration may consider returning these funds to U.S. control, as the Taliban is not a legally recognized government. SIGAR continues its oversight efforts, with recent audits identifying $1.1 million in questionable expenses related to U.S. funding in Afghanistan. This quarter also saw one conviction resulting from a fraud investigation. Moving forward, SIGAR plans to release a final forensic audit and a lessons learned report focused on the challenges of providing aid while minimizing Taliban influence. With U.S. policymakers reassessing foreign aid strategy, the future of American engagement in the country remains uncertain. The full report is available at https:// bit.ly/SIGAR66. Changes to Gender Identification in Passports On Jan. 20, the White House issued an executive order titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.” It calls for eliminating the X gender marker in U.S. passports and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA). Only M or F markers, matching biological sex at birth, will be issued. Those requesting changes may face delays and receive requests for additional information. Existing passports remain valid until expiration under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) policy. This order extends beyond passports. It dismantles diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs across federal agencies, reversing Biden-era initiatives. Agencies must eliminate DEI offices and initiatives, with language in grants and contracts also revised. Phrases including “indigenous community,” “gender-based violence,” and even “women” have been flagged for removal from government communications. A February 2025 order, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” bans transgender athletes from women’s competitions. U.S. consular officials have been instructed to deny visas to transgender athletes, and those suspected of misrepresenting sex on applications may face permanent bans. Ahead of the 2028 Olympics, the Secretary of State is working with the International Olympic Committee to ensure women’s sports eligibility is based on biological sex. T his month, we spotlight OneAid Community, a platform dedicated to supporting global humanitarian work. Designed as a nonpartisan collaborative hub, OneAid connects humanitarian assistance, international development, and national security professionals and partners to share resources, expertise, and crisis response updates. The platform offers a crowdsourced database of humanitarian projects, enabling users to track, contribute to, and learn from ongoing initiatives worldwide. It also features discussion forums and expert-led insights on topics such as disaster relief, health care, and refugee support. Site of the Month: OneAid Community The appearance of a particular site or podcast is for information only and does not constitute an endorsement. (Continued from page 12)
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
16 APRIL-MAY 2025 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL SPEAKING OUT Steven E. Hendrix, a retired Foreign Service officer, is the principal of Hendrix LLC. In 2024 he retired from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Foreign Service, where he served most recently as the USAID coordinator for the State Department’s Office of Foreign Assistance and as the State Department’s managing director for planning, performance, and systems for the Office of Foreign Assistance. Earlier USAID assignments include senior adviser for South America, deputy mission director in Ghana, program office director in Nigeria, peace negotiations adviser to the president in Colombia, director of national capacity development for Iraq, and others. I write to you with the utmost respect for your office and the immense responsibility you bear. History has always judged U.S. leaders not by how they navigate moments of ease but by how they respond to crises— whether they rise to the occasion or shrink from it. As Henry Kissinger once said, “The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been.” Today, America finds itself at a crossroads. The choices we make now will define not only our place in the world but the future of millions who look to us for leadership, stability, and hope. The world is watching, and history will not be kind if we falter. I urge you, with all due respect and urgency, to course-correct on several critical issues—most urgently the dismantling of USAID—before the damage becomes irreversible. The Unraveling of USAID and America’s Global Influence If you have ever stood in a refugee camp, watched a child take their first sip of clean water, or seen a mother cradle a bag of grain knowing her children will eat that night, then you understand what is at stake when we dismantle our development efforts. Tens of thousands of professionals dedicated to international development now find themselves without work, their hard-earned expertise and deep understanding of global challenges discarded. This is not just about jobs—it is about America’s ability to see, interpret, and shape the world around us. These professionals were our bridge to communities in crisis, our human face in places where our military cannot and should not go. They were the architects of stability, quietly preventing the conflicts and pandemics that would otherwise reach our shores. The humanitarian cost of this withdrawal is staggering. Consider Nigeria: Until several months ago, if you were HIV-positive and on antiretrovirals, there was a 100 percent chance your medication came from USAID. Today, that lifeline is gone. The world faces a 20-25 percent chance of another pandemic in the next four years, yet we have dismantled our global health team and withdrawn from the World Health Organization. In Sudan, genocide unfolds before our eyes. In Gaza and Ukraine, devastation continues. And yet, we have gutted one of An Open Letter on USAID to the Secretary of State BY STEVEN E. HENDRIX the core instruments the U.S. government has to respond to these crises. The consequences will not remain overseas. Halted interventions in faraway countries will lead to the rise of preventable diseases—tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, polio—within our borders. Reducing our capacity to monitor the spread of infectious diseases leaves Americans at risk of contracting avian influenza, mpox, and other deadly diseases that know no borders. As you know, USAID food aid programs account for less than 1 percent of current U.S. agricultural exports, yet they have historically provided U.S. farmers and manufacturers with a stable $2 billion market and supported an estimated 15,000-20,000 U.S. jobs. Suspending these programs will lead to layoffs across the U.S. food processing, manufacturing, and transportation sectors. America will not be safer, stronger, or more prosperous for these decisions—it is becoming weak, isolated, and increasingly irrelevant in the global arena. Further, the responsibility for managing these abandoned programs now falls on the State Department—an institution already stretched thin, unprepared for the operational demands of development work. USAID contract officers, auditors, and program managers—all essential personnel—have vanished, leaving behind a bureaucratic vacuum. The inefficiency, the waste, and the inevitable failures that are now cropping up will draw the ire of Congress and the public. A scathing Government Accountability Office (GAO) report is almost inevitable.
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