Coronavirus Task Force Freezes Foreign Aid After Troubling Discoveries

After officials discovered that U.S. aid to foreign countries was not being coordinated with U.S. requests for much-needed supplies to handle the crisis, the Coronavirus Task Force headed up by Vice President Mike Pence clamped down on the process to make sure American needs are prioritized and that countries that are assisting the U.S. get the help they need.

In a report published Tuesday, Politico detailed the sequence of events that led to the task force imposing stricter oversight on the handling of USAID.

“Last week, a Trump administration official working to secure much-needed protective gear for doctors and nurses in the United States had a startling encounter with counterparts in Thailand,” the outlet reported. “The official asked the Thais for help — only to be informed by the puzzled voices on the other side of the line that a U.S. shipment of the same supplies, the second of two so far, was already on its way to Bangkok. Trump aides were alarmed when they learned of the exchange, and immediately put the shipment on hold while they ordered a review of U.S. aid procedures.”

The concern was not just that our allies might be confused or offended, Politico explains, but that Americans might be outraged to learn that urgently needed supplies were being shipped to other countries amid the ongoing crisis.

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