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Faith Over Strategy: The Christian Nationalist Agenda Weakening USAID and U.S. Influence [1]

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Date: 2025-03-08

For decades, USAID has played a critical role in strengthening American industry, protecting global health, and empowering U.S. leadership. From funding groundbreaking research at American universities to supporting international trade relationships that benefit U.S. businesses, USAID has long been a strategic economic and diplomatic tool.

Now, that leadership is under threat. The Trump administration’s massive funding cuts to USAID—alongside reports of secretive realignment efforts—aren’t just dismantling humanitarian aid. These cuts are weakening American economic strength, compromising global stability, and ceding influence to foreign adversaries.

At a time when the U.S. should be leading, we are instead stepping back—leaving a vacuum that other nations are eager to fill.

The Economic Fallout of USAID Cuts

Cutting USAID funding is not just about reducing foreign assistance—it directly impacts American workers, industries, and economic growth.

Over 90% of USAID contracts have been eliminated, resulting in widespread job losses across industries that rely on federally funded development programs. University research programs are losing funding, threatening progress in agriculture, health security, and climate adaptation. American manufacturers and tech companies that supply USAID-backed programs are losing contracts, impacting thousands of jobs in the private sector.

This is not about charity. USAID investments have always been about economic return, opening new markets for U.S. goods, expanding trade, and strengthening American leadership in innovation.

Secret Meetings and the Shift Away from Development

Amidst these cuts, new reports have emerged that Trump administration officials overseeing the restructuring of USAID met secretly with Christian nationalist groups abroad, without informing U.S. diplomats on the ground. This suggests a dangerous shift away from non-partisan humanitarian aid and towards an ideological version, raising serious concerns about how USAID’s mission is being served.

This shift doesn’t just threaten the integrity of U.S. foreign policy—it risks alienating international allies, reducing cooperation with American-led initiatives, and weakening the long-standing credibility of U.S. global leadership.

Rather than investing in research, public health, and economic development, these moves signal a retreat from pragmatic, results-driven aid programs that benefit both the U.S. and its global partners.

Global Health at Risk: The Real Consequences of Aid Cuts

The U.S. has long been a leader in global health initiatives, ensuring that preventable diseases don’t become global threats. USAID funding has supported:

The fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, helping to save millions of lives. Pandemic prevention programs, ensuring outbreaks are controlled before they spread. Health infrastructure in developing countries, which, in turn, protects American public health by reducing global risks.

These cuts are not just numbers on a balance sheet—they mean fewer vaccines, fewer treatments, and a higher risk of global health crises that could impact the U.S.

This is what happens when America retreats: hospitals without medicine, abandoned public health initiatives, and vulnerable communities left behind. But it’s not too late to reverse course.

Why American Leadership Matters Now More Than Ever

While the U.S. pulls back, China and other global powers are expanding their influence, stepping in to fill the leadership vacuum left by USAID’s retreat.

This shift means that American businesses are losing trade opportunities to foreign competitors, countries once aligned with U.S. interests are turning to China for economic partnerships, and the U.S. has diminished diplomatic leverage for the U.S. in key global regions.

Leadership isn’t just about military power or political rhetoric—it’s about investing in the institutions, businesses, and policies that strengthen America’s long-term economic and diplomatic power. USAID has always been a key part of that strategy. Walking away now is a historic mistake.

Now Is the Time to Act

We cannot allow decades of progress to be undone. The stakes are too high—for the American economy, for global stability, and for the future of U.S. leadership.

Contact your Members of Congress today. Urge them to fully restore funding for USAID and international development initiatives. Learn more about how you can help here . Find an easy guide on how to reach Congress here .

If we fail to act, the consequences will be severe: lost jobs, diminished global influence, and a weaker America. But if we stand up now—if we demand strategic investments in global health, research, and economic partnerships—we can ensure that the U.S. remains the world’s leader in innovation, diplomacy, and prosperity.

Now, more than ever, we must act. Because American leadership isn’t just an option—it’s a responsibility

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