AXIOS January 14, 2026
The Trump administration is launching an unprecedented, $11 billion soft-power effort to remake foreign health assistance after its controversial decision to gut USAID.
Why it matters: Called the America First Global Health Strategy, the program aims to boost U.S. influence and interests in developing nations —especially those in Africa — while bypassing non-government organizations that delivered services through USAID.
- The program would send billions of dollars directly to needy foreign governments, health care organizations and drug manufacturers over the next five years — a plan that critics worry could be a recipe for corruption and “catastrophic” failures.
Zoom in: So far, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has signed 15 agreements with African countries aimed at improving their...
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