Foreign secretary urges caution over Trump’s USAID overhaul
Foreign Secretary David Lammy has warned that US President Donald Trump’s proposed cuts to foreign aid could be a “strategic mistake,” urging Washington to consider the consequences of dismantling global development programmes.
Lammy’s intervention comes as the Trump administration moves forward with plans to significantly reduce staffing at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), a decision that would leave fewer than 300 employees to oversee aid distribution worldwide.
Speaking to The Guardian, Lammy drew a direct comparison to the UK’s own controversial decision to merge the Department for International Development (Dfid) with the Foreign Office in 2020. He cautioned that the US risked repeating Britain’s past errors, warning that the UK had spent years “unravelling that strategic mistake.”
“What I can say to American friends is that it’s widely accepted that the decision by the UK— with very little preparation— to close down Dfid, to suspend funding in the short term, or to give many global partners little heads-up, was a big strategic mistake,” he said.
“Development remains a very important soft power tool. And in the absence of development… I would be very worried that China and others step into that gap.”
Foreign aid as a tool of influence
Lammy’s remarks reflect growing concerns that the withdrawal of US aid could create a vacuum in international development, one that geopolitical rivals such as China might be quick to exploit. He emphasised that foreign aid plays a vital role in diplomacy, strengthening alliances and stabilising regions of strategic importance to Western nations.
“We were hugely critical of the way the last government handled the decision,” Lammy said, referring to the UK’s experience post-Dfid. “So I would caution US friends to look closely at what went wrong in the United Kingdom as they navigate this decision.”
His comments come amid broader uncertainty about the direction of US foreign policy, with Trump’s America First agenda continuing to prioritise domestic interests over international commitments.
Legal challenge against USAID cuts
The Trump administration’s plan to gut USAID has already sparked legal challenges, with federal worker associations filing a lawsuit on Thursday night in an attempt to halt the cuts. The lawsuit argues that President Trump lacks the authority to shut down an agency that is enshrined in congressional legislation.
The cuts would see thousands of workers lose their jobs, severely limiting the US government’s ability to respond to humanitarian crises, natural disasters, and global development initiatives.
Trump’s sanctions on the ICC spark backlash
Alongside the USAID overhaul, Trump is also facing criticism for his recent sanctions against officials at the International Criminal Court (ICC). On Thursday, the White House issued an executive order imposing penalties in response to what it called “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.”
The move has drawn widespread condemnation, with the ICC issuing a statement reaffirming its commitment to justice.
“The ICC stands firmly by its personnel and pledges to continue providing justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world,” the court said in response to the sanctions.
Neither the US nor Israel are members of the ICC, whereas the UK is a signatory to the Rome Statute, which established the court.
When asked if Prime Minister Keir Starmer opposed Trump’s actions, a Downing Street spokesperson said:
“Ultimately, that’s a matter for the US. As for the UK, we support the independence of the ICC. Therefore, we’ve got no plans to sanction individual court officials.”
The spokesperson also acknowledged that “the UK and the US, over a number of administrations, have taken a different view on the ICC.”
Trump escalates row with the hague
The ICC’s recent investigation into Israel’s conduct during its conflict with Hamas has further strained relations between the US and the international court. The court has issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes committed in Gaza.
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Trump’s executive order directly targets ICC officials involved in the case, arguing that the court has overstepped its jurisdiction. The order accuses the ICC of setting a “dangerous precedent” by issuing what it describes as “baseless arrest warrants” against Netanyahu and Gallant.
The US has vowed to impose “tangible and significant consequences” on those responsible for the ICC’s actions, marking the second time Trump has directly sanctioned court officials. During his first term, he imposed penalties on former ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda over an investigation into alleged US war crimes in Afghanistan.
International response and future implications
The ICC has called on its 125 member states, civil society groups, and global institutions to stand in solidarity against the US sanctions.
“The court must remain independent and free from political pressure,” the ICC said in a statement.
Lammy’s warnings about the risks of foreign aid cuts and the erosion of international legal norms highlight the growing divide between the US and its Western allies under Trump’s leadership.
As Washington presses ahead with its America First policies, the UK appears keen to maintain its international commitments— even as it grapples with the legacy of its own controversial decisions on foreign aid and international cooperation.
