Nicole Widdersheim, Deputy Washington director of Human Rights Watch with a rich background in humanitarian efforts, discusses the precarious state of U.S. soft power as USAID faces potential dismantling. She highlights the history and significance of USAID in foreign policy, its struggles against budget cuts, and the long-term effects on global food security and human rights advocacy. Widdersheim also critiques the American public's apathy toward the human cost of foreign aid and reflects on the implications of competition from China's Belt and Road Initiative.