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Akbar Novruz

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Authorities in Armenia are in a state of panic following Trump's decision to terminate USAID activities, Azernews reports Armenian newspaper.

A newspaper called Hraparak daily writes as follows, in particular: The decision to terminate the activities of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has caused panic not only in the whole world but also in Armenia since a large group of political activists was feeding on American programs for years.

But the RA authorities’ circles are also in panic since they realize that from now on they will become the target and financier of those deprived of foreign funding.

Representatives of some NGOs have already expressed that the RA government should compensate for its losses. And if their funding is not restored in the near future, then the authorities could take the financial problems of some NGOs on their shoulders.

The website for the US Agency for International Development, or USAID, appeared to be offline on Saturday, as the Trump administration moves to put the free-standing agency, and its current $42.8bn budget for global humanitarian operations, under state department control. The sudden shutdown has fueled speculation that President Donald Trump is preparing to dissolve USAID entirely, consolidating its functions within the State Department as part of his "America First" foreign policy agenda. Back in 2023, USAID head Samantha Power announced a $100 million aid package for Armenians leaving Garabagh, while remaining silent on the decades-long displacement of Azerbaijanis from their lands.

USAID was founded in the early 1960s and manages US assistance programs being provided to various countries. The organization has bases in more than 60 countries, including Armenia.