By Humeyra Pamuk

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a waiver on Tuesday for life-saving humanitarian assistance during a 90-day pause in foreign aid while Washington undertakes a review, according to a State Department memo seen by Reuters.

Just hours after taking office a week ago, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the pause so foreign aid contributions could be reviewed to see if they align with his “America First” foreign policy.

The waiver issued on Tuesday for life-saving aid comes after Rubio initially gave an exemption on Friday for emergency food assistance.

Rubio defined life-saving humanitarian assistance as core life-saving medicine, medical services, food, shelter, and subsistence assistance, supplies and reasonable administrative costs as necessary to deliver such assistance.

“This waiver does not apply to activities that involve abortions, family planning conferences, administrative costs … gender or DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) ideology programs, transgender surgeries, or other non-life saving assistance,” Rubio’s memo said.

The U.S. foreign aid pause risks cutting off billions of dollars of life-saving assistance. The United States is the largest single donor of aid globally. In fiscal year 2023, it disbursed $72 billion in assistance.

There was initial confusion among U.S. lawmakers, aid groups and the United Nations over the scope of Trump’s order. That was partially cleared up on Friday, when the State Department issued a “stop-work” order for all existing foreign assistance and paused new aid, according to a cable seen by Reuters.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called for the United States to consider additional exemptions to “ensure continued delivery of critical development and humanitarian activities.”

(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; writing by Michelle Nichols; editing by Costas Pitas and Sonali Paul)

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