Bipartisan US senators have raised concerns that the Trump administration’s tough stance on terrorism in Africa is not backed by sufficient funding or diplomatic capacity. During a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee hearing, State Department officials defended their new “interest-driven” strategy as a pragmatic shift away from aid dependency. However, lawmakers highlighted gutted humanitarian programs, widespread ambassadorial vacancies, and a lack of transparency. The decline in US security and humanitarian interventions could lead to more operational freedom for jihadist groups. African nations, meanwhile, face the opposite problem: reduced funding will hamper their ability to push back against insurgents. Over the long term, this gap could undermine US influence in Africa, create openings for rivals like Russia or China, and allow insecurity to spread, threatening regional stability and global security interests.
Semafor
