The Headlines Trump’s $230 Million Demand, and the Chaos Created by U.S.A.I.D. Cuts in Somalia
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Oct 22, 2025 U.S. aid cuts are wreaking havoc on Somalia's health system, leading to a dramatic rise in child malnutrition. Meanwhile, Trump is demanding $230 million from the Department of Justice over past cases, while bizarrely contemplating donating any potential payout to charity. In other headlines, plans for a Trump-Putin meeting have been scrapped, and a watchdog nominee has withdrawn due to racist texts. Plus, rogue BASE jumping is surging at Yosemite as federal staff are furloughed, and bird flu is resurging, straining poultry supplies.
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U.S. Aid Cuts Reversed Health Gains
- Rapid U.S. aid cuts have reversed years of slow health progress in Somalia.
- Community programs were central to immunizations and maternal/child health and their loss caused sharp deterioration.
Funding Plunge Forced Program Closures
- Somalia lost nearly all U.S. humanitarian funding, dropping from about $450M to under $15M this month.
- That funding cut forced aid groups to close dozens of programs and clinics almost immediately.
Quiet Ward Of Critically Malnourished Children
- Tracey Mumford described a feeding ward of limp, gaunt children brought in for emergency care.
- She noted the silence in the ward because children were too weak even to cry.