Executive Order 14169

Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid

Signed January 20, 2025, printed at 90 FR 8619. 3 sections of substance, 630 words.

In plain English

This order freezes most foreign aid. It says the money often works against American aims. Each program is to be reviewed.

Read it at the Federal Register →

Sec. 1. Purpose

The United States foreign aid industry and bureaucracy are not aligned with American interests and in many cases antithetical to American values. They serve to destabilize world peace by promoting ideas in foreign countries that are directly inverse to harmonious and stable relations internal to and among countries.

In plain English

This states the case the order makes. It says the foreign aid system does not serve this country. It says much of it works against the values held here. It says such aid unsettles world peace. It says it pushes ideas abroad that break up stable ties. Relations inside those countries suffer too.

Sec. 2. Policy

It is the policy of United States that no further United States foreign assistance shall be disbursed in a manner that is not fully aligned with the foreign policy of the President of the United States.

In plain English

This states the policy. No more foreign aid may go out unless it fits. The test is the President's own foreign policy. The fit must be complete. Aid that does not meet that test must not be paid. This applies to every future payment.

Sec. 3.

(a) 90-day pause in United States foreign development assistance for assessment of programmatic efficiencies and consistency with United States foreign policy. All department and agency heads with responsibility for United States foreign development assistance programs shall immediately pause new obligations and disbursements of development assistance funds to foreign countries and implementing non- governmental organizations, international organizations, and contractors pending reviews of such programs for programmatic efficiency and consistency with United States foreign policy, to be conducted within 90 days of this order. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) shall enforce this pause through its apportionment authority. (b) Reviews of United States foreign assistance programs. Reviews of each foreign assistance program shall be ordered by the responsible department and agency

In plain English

This pauses foreign aid for 90 days. New grants and payments stop at once. That covers money to countries and to outside groups. Contractors are covered too. Each program is reviewed in that time. The test is value and fit with foreign policy. The budget office enforces the pause.

Sec. 4. General Provisions

Every order carries this. It is not what the order does.

(a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. [[Page 8620]] (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. <GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT> (Presidential Sig.) THE WHITE HOUSE, January 20, 2025. [FR Doc. 2025-02091 Filed 1-29-25; 11:15 am] Billing code 3395-F4-P </pre></body>

In plain English

This is the closing clause that nearly every order carries. It says the order does not change what the law already allows. It also says no one can sue to enforce it.

How this order is quoted

Each section is quoted as the order prints it, under its own number and heading. Executive orders are United States government works and are not under copyright. Long sections are cut at a sentence and the whole order is a click away.