USAID and the Erosion of U.S. Soft Power

In this article originally published in RealClearDefense, Irregular Warfare Initiative’s General Counsel Matthew Flug and co-author Tom Johansmeyer discuss the dismantling of USAID under the current administration, while also highlighting the positive impact foreign aid has on U.S. soft power and global influence. The agency’s closure has disrupted humanitarian efforts, including disease prevention and mine clearance, while weakening America’s strategic position against rivals like China and Russia. With foreign aid reductions, the U.S. risks ceding diplomatic ground to adversaries who continue expanding their global presence. The article argues that this shift undermines decades of progress in international development and diminishes the U.S.’s role as a reliable global partner.

Image courtesy of DVIDS: USAID Provides Ventilators to Russia by TSgt Keith James. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.