President Donald Trump’s cuts to foreign aid have sparked concerns among evangelical leaders, who argue that some of the proposed reductions are “damaging and wasteful.” The National Association of Evangelicals, a group representing millions of people from over 40 denominations, has pushed back against the administration’s plans to dismantle the US Agency for International Development.
According to Galen Carey, vice president of government relations at the National Association of Evangelicals, some foreign aid programs should be ended or reformed but not all. “We affirm that there are aspects of our foreign aid programs that should be ended and others that could be reformed for greater effectiveness,” he said. However, Carey cautioned against hastily pursued measures that will prove costly, warning that the abrupt closure of effective aid programs will result in wasted money and lost supplies.
The National Association of Evangelicals represents a nonpolitical religious group that participates in advocacy work but does not endorse politicians. The organization’s concerns echo those of other nongovernment organizations that rely on federal aid, which has left them reeling from “stop-work orders.”
“Indiscriminate stop-work orders issued with little or no advanced notice have created chaos and confusion on the ground,” Carey said. “This is damaging and wasteful.” Gabriel Salguero, president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, also expressed concerns about the impact of foreign aid cuts on US relationships with other nations. “Community relationships will suffer, and it’ll be hard to rebuild organizations that are destroyed in this way,” he warned.
The Trump administration’s executive orders, spearheaded by Elon Musk, aim to save as much as $2 trillion through cost-cutting measures. However, some of the changes have been met with resistance from experts who argue that they may not be lawful. As the situation unfolds, evangelical leaders and others are urging the administration to rethink its assumptions about the role of foreign aid in national security, peace, and prosperity.
Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/evangelical-leaders-respond-donald-trump-usaid-foreign-aid-cuts-doge-2025-2