The Trump administration’s decision to shut down USAID, the primary international humanitarian and development agency of the U.S. government, has sparked global concern—including within the Vatican.
Catholic-led aid programs, heavily reliant on USAID funding, now face uncertainty, according to the Church’s Office for migrants, the Environment, and Development.
Cardinal Michael Czerny, Head of the Vatican’s Development and Migrants Office, strongly criticised the move, stating:
“A crackdown is a terrible way to administer affairs and much less to administer justice. And so, I’m very sorry that many people are being hurt and indeed terrorised by the measures. And I can only hope that the church in each place is able to help them, and if possible, even protect them.”
Shutting down USAID was a top priority for Trump in his first weeks back in office, with support from billionaire Elon Musk. The former president has long dismissed the agency as a wasteful expenditure.
While acknowledging that governments have the right to review budgets, Cardinal Czerny stressed the importance of advance notice, particularly for foreign aid programs.
“While every government is qualified to review its budget, in the case of foreign aid, it would be good to have some warning because it takes time to find other sources of funding or to find other ways of meeting the problems,” he said.
One of the largest beneficiaries of USAID funding is Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the humanitarian arm of the U.S. Catholic Church. The organisation operates in more than 120 countries, providing crucial support for international development and emergency relief efforts.
With an estimated 50 to 60% of its budget funded by USAID, CRS is now bracing for significant financial challenges that could impact aid initiatives worldwide.
Smaller Catholic-led programs, such as Caritas and diocese-level relief efforts, also face the risk of major funding cuts, threatening their ability to continue serving vulnerable communities.
