How U.S. Global Engagement Pays Off at Home

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March 14, 2025 - As the U.S. government looks to optimize its budget and focus on priorities, the proposed adjustments to the 2025 International Affairs Budget, which includes critical programs like the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP), present an important opportunity to rethink how global investments can align with American interests. While these adjustments reflect a desire for fiscal responsibility, it’s essential to consider how strategic foreign aid can strengthen both American economic growth and national security.

Strategic Investment for Stability and Security

In Bangladesh, the world’s largest refugee settlement for Rohingya refugees is facing a dire situation, with food rations slashed and aid dwindling. With cuts to international aid, the humanitarian conditions worsen, pushing vulnerable populations into even more desperate circumstances. While the situation is heartbreaking, it also highlights the broader reality: when global instability arises, the ripple effects can reach beyond borders, impacting U.S. security, markets, and immigration systems.

For example, in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania, industries like chemical manufacturing depend on stable global markets supported by foreign aid programs. These programs help create more resilient supply chains, reduce economic volatility, and sustain the 35,000 American jobs tied to this sector. Cuts to these programs could disrupt economic stability not only abroad but in the U.S. as well.

Foreign Aid as a Tool for National Prosperity

This is not a matter of charity, it’s a matter of smart policy. By investing in global development, the U.S. fosters a safer and more stable world, reducing the need for military intervention, minimizing migration pressures, and creating opportunities for American companies to grow.

The current administration’s emphasis on fiscal responsibility aligns with the need for strategic investments that promote long-term peace and economic stability. Supporting programs like GAFSP is not about expanding U.S. spending, but about making thoughtful investments that reduce future costs and support American businesses by fostering global stability.

Strengthening America’s Role in the World

Foreign aid, when used effectively, is an extension of American interests. It encourages self-reliance in other nations, which in turn helps stabilize global markets, supports job creation, and builds stronger diplomatic relations. This approach benefits both American taxpayers and the global community, making the U.S. an essential leader in promoting stability and prosperity worldwide.

Supporting Smart Investments for the Future

Organizations like The Borgen Project are working to ensure that foreign aid programs continue to help lift communities out of poverty and contribute to global stability, while also protecting American interests. Supporting targeted international programs doesn’t mean shouldering the entire burden, it’s about making wise, strategic investments that lead to long-term global security and economic growth.

You can help by reaching out to your Congressional representatives to express the importance of maintaining strategic foreign aid funding. A stable and prosperous world benefits all nations, including the United States.


Source

To learn more about supporting U.S. foreign policy that advances humanitarian goals while improving national security and economic stability in the United States visit borgenproject.org.


Max Kurzweil is a junior at Muhlenberg College, class of 2027, pursuing a double major in Political Science and Business Administration. He previously served as a Political Affairs Intern and Ambassador for The Borgen Project, where he supported initiatives focused on poverty reduction and sustainable development as part of a balanced approach to American foreign policy and global engagement. He will begin serving as a Regional Director with The Borgen Project in January 2026.

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