PRESIDENT Donald Trump holds Africa in high regard despite sweeping aid cuts that have triggered humanitarian crises across the continent, according to his Senior Advisor for Africa, Massad Boulos.
Speaking to BBC Newsday, Boulos defended the Trump administration’s decision to freeze foreign aid—a move announced on the President’s first day in office in January—as consistent with his ‘America First’ foreign policy.
The cuts, however, have dealt a heavy blow to US-backed health and humanitarian programmes, with the World Health Organisation warning that six African countries—including Nigeria, Kenya, and Lesotho—could soon run out of life-saving HIV medications.
‘Africa very important to Trump’
Amid mounting criticism, Boulos insisted the President ‘highly values Africa and African people’, pushing back against reports that the US was planning to shutter several diplomatic missions on the continent.
‘Africa is very important to Trump,’ he said. ‘Our job is to promote US interests and our strategic partnerships.’
His comments come as fears rise that nearly six million more people in Africa could be pushed into extreme poverty by next year, according to estimates from the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), a pan-African think-tank.
Earlier this month, eight people, including five children, reportedly died in South Sudan after walking for hours in search of medical help, as US aid cuts forced local health centres to shut down. International charity Save the Children said the deaths were directly linked to the funding freeze.
But Boulos argued there was no direct connection between the US cuts and those deaths. ‘It is absolutely necessary for the US to review these programmes for much more efficiency and transparency,’ he said. ‘We have to make sure the funds are going to the right place.’
HIV treatment under threat
The withdrawal of support from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has disrupted the supply of critical medical items across Africa, particularly antiretroviral drugs used in HIV treatment. The majority of USAID programmes have since been terminated, worsening the strain on already under-resourced health systems.
In South Africa, healthcare professionals have warned of catastrophic outcomes, saying the cuts have driven HIV treatment ‘off a cliff’.
Trade tensions and mineral interests
In addition to humanitarian fallout, President Trump’s recently announced tariffs on African exports have sparked fears for the future of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)—a trade pact credited with transforming economies like Lesotho’s, which relies heavily on US textile markets.
Lesotho, one of the hardest hit by the tariffs—facing a fifty percent rate before a 90-day pause—has used Agoa to grow its jeans and apparel exports, which now represent over 10 percent of its GDP.
Boulos dismissed the impact of the tariffs on Africa, calling them a ‘zero net-effect’ due to low trade volumes, and said the US seeks a ‘fair and win-win solution’ for future trade deals.
Eyes on DR Congo’s minerals
During a recent tour of Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo, Boulos said American companies expressed interest in investing in Congo’s rich mineral reserves—particularly lithium, a key component in electric vehicle batteries.
Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi reportedly hopes greater US involvement in the mining sector will help displace Chinese dominance and bring stability to the conflict-torn east, where Rwandan-backed M23 rebels have seized territory.
Boulos confirmed US interest in neighbouring Rwanda’s mineral potential as well, but said any move would require Kigali to end its alleged support for the rebels and withdraw troops from DR Congo. Rwanda denies involvement in the conflict.
Strategic over humanitarian goals?
Critics have questioned whether the Trump administration’s Africa policy prioritises economic opportunity over welfare. In response, Boulos said: ‘Our job is to promote US interests and strategic partnerships,’ while stressing Trump’s broader commitment to peace, particularly in war-torn Sudan.
Boulos, who also serves as a senior adviser on Middle Eastern affairs and has business interests in West Africa, added that Trump was seeking to ‘end the unfair advantage’ other global players have had on the continent.
