Armenia shows folly of Trump trashing USAID

Much has been written about the Trump administration's dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development. Some 83% of the programs approved by Congress are slated to be canceled. Instead of a thorough review to find the waste that no doubt exists in the agency, the administration is making cuts in programs that build markets for U.S. businesses, prevent conflicts that would require costly military interventions, foster allies in tough neighborhoods, and extend American soft power that has been essential for promoting stability and economic growth worldwide.

As an American deeply involved in the democratic development of Armenia, where my family has roots, I know the harm this will do — as do the thousands of Armenians living on Long Island. While not top of mind for most, Armenia is an excellent case study on why USAID is not charity but rather a means to an important end: furthering U.S. interests while helping developing nations, all while blocking the march of authoritarian regimes.

I volunteer with a number of Armenia-related nonprofits involved in everything from promoting Armenian heritage and education to advancing Armenia’s communications ecosystem and regional geopolitics. I’ve seen firsthand how this ex-Soviet republic, amid a difficult democratization, relies on USAID programs that support independent media, human rights, and economic development. Many are now being discarded.

Freedom House, which monitors political rights and civil liberties around the world, is shutting down its offices in Armenia and elsewhere. Also being shuttered is the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening — an initiative that included the International Republican Institute, the National Democratic Institute, and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, all focused on more participatory, transparent and credible government processes.

Losing these and other programs is devastating to Armenia, a young democracy caught between Western aspirations and lingering Russian influence, and which, since its 2018 Velvet Revolution, has sought to reorient itself toward the West. Millions across our engaged diaspora are watching with anger and frustration. We know how this void might be filled: with oligarchic interests or Russian disinformation campaigns.

This silencing of democratic voices and reversing gains is part of a moral collapse that’s also a strategic calamity. USAID has missions in over 100 countries in areas ranging from agriculture and food security to governance, economic growth, education, and health. Its work isn’t about imposing American values but about creating resilient societies that can resist authoritarian influences.

USAID saves over 3 million lives annually through immunization programs, reaches 850,000 people with HIV prevention education, and provides more than 50 million couples worldwide with family planning programs, reducing poverty. USAID has also helped the energy sectors of developing countries, creating a $50 billion annual market for private power — dominated by U.S. firms. To dismiss these efforts with cliches or isolated examples of "woke" projects is preposterous and an insult to our intelligence.

It’s no coincidence that USAID’s largest allocations are in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Eastern Europe, where the fight against authoritarianism is most intense. In an age of hybrid warfare, where Russia and China weaponize disinformation, cutting USAID’s support for independent media, especially, is like disarming in the middle of a battle.

If the U.S. still aspires to lead the free world, this is a colossal mistake and nothing short of an embarrassing, disappointing and sudden abdication of global leadership. Regardless of anyone’s politics, I don’t think Americans voted for this.

This guest essay reflects the views of Arda Nazerian, a New York City-based strategic communications adviser and adjunct professor of business communications at Queens College.