Trump Hosts West African Leaders Amid Aid Cuts/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Trump hosted five West African leaders at the White House amid fallout from U.S. aid cuts and USAID’s dissolution. Discussions focused on trade, security, and economic partnerships. Critics warn Trump’s policies could cause millions of deaths across vulnerable regions.
Trump West Africa Summit Quick Looks
- Trump hosts leaders of Liberia, Senegal, Gabon, Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau
- USAID dissolved as U.S. shifts away from foreign aid model
- Trump emphasizes equal trade partnerships over aid
- Critics fear millions of deaths from aid cuts
- Lancet study projects 14 million global deaths by 2030
- Liberia heavily reliant on U.S. aid, at 2.6% of GNI
- Natural resources, migration, drug trafficking among key topics
- Countries at summit could face expanded U.S. travel ban
Deep Look
Trump Hosts West African Leaders As Region Grapples With U.S. Aid Cuts And Shifting Policy
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — President Donald Trump hosted five West African leaders at the White House on Wednesday, convening a multilateral lunch as the region reels from sweeping U.S. foreign aid cuts and the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
The leaders of Liberia, Senegal, Gabon, Mauritania, and Guinea-Bissau joined Trump to discuss cooperation on economic development, security, infrastructure, and democratic governance, according to a statement from the Liberian presidency. The White House offered few details ahead of the talks.
Radical Shift In U.S.-Africa Relations
The unexpected summit comes amid a radical reorientation of America’s approach to Africa under the Trump administration. Earlier this month, the U.S. formally dissolved USAID, signaling an end to what officials called a “charity-based foreign aid model.” Instead, the U.S. says it will prioritize economic partnerships with nations that demonstrate “both the ability and willingness to help themselves.”
Troy Fitrell, the U.S. African Affairs senior bureau official, highlighted that the administration’s aim is to reduce trade deficits with African countries.
“Assistance involves a donor and a recipient, but commerce is an exchange between equals,” Fitrell said.
Dire Warnings From Health Experts
Critics warn that dismantling USAID and slashing foreign aid budgets will have deadly consequences. A study published in The Lancet medical journal late last month projected that the funding cuts could result in more than 14 million additional global deaths by 2030—including 4.5 million children.
West Africa is expected to suffer disproportionately. U.S. support for Liberia alone previously accounted for 2.6% of its gross national income, the highest proportion globally, according to the Center for Global Development.
Economic And Security Stakes
While the five nations whose leaders met Trump contribute only a modest share to U.S.-Africa trade, they hold significant untapped natural resources and play key roles in regional stability. Senegal and Mauritania, for instance, are critical both as sources and transit points for migration—a persistent focus for the Trump administration. Additionally, countries like Guinea-Bissau grapple with drug trafficking challenges that Washington views as a security threat.
Liberia’s President Joseph Nyuma Boakai expressed cautious optimism about the discussions, stating his country’s commitment to “regional stability, democratic governance, and inclusive economic growth.”
Yet uncertainty looms, as Gabon, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal are among 36 countries potentially targeted in Trump’s proposed expansion of the U.S. travel ban.
As Trump pivots U.S.-Africa relations from aid to commerce, African leaders and observers remain wary of how these shifts will impact millions across the continent already vulnerable to poverty, health crises, and political instability.
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