Trump’s once strict critic David Lami warns the US about the decision. “China can take advantage of this gap,” she tells the Guardian. She was described by British media as a “non -diplomatic diplomat”, while back in 2018 she described Donald Trump “enemy of democracy”. The reason for British Foreign Minister David Lamy, who – in a diplomatic but clear way this time – wants to warn the US side of its decision to discontinue the USAID development aid.

According to US media, the ultimate goal of the Trump decision is to have the independent government agency, which was founded in early 1960s, to be subject to the US Foreign Ministry, thereby reducing staff by almost 10,000 people.

In an exclusive interview with the Guardian, the British Foreign Minister warned the US side, giving the British decision to downgrade the Ministry of International Development (DFID) by joining the British Foreign Ministry.

‘Blow to the mild power of Britain’

The reference is made to Boris Johnson’s decision back in 2020 where the Foreign Ministry transformed into a Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Commonwealth and Development (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office), following the merger. David Lami stressed that the decision of the then conservative prime minister was “a serious blow to Britain’s mild power in developing countries and beyond”.

He added: “What I can say to American friends is that Britain’s quick decision to close the ministry, freeze funding almost directly or with little warning – to several global allies – was a big strategic mistake.”

The British Foreign Minister, who made the statements while in Ukraine, referred to Americans quite a bit of the designation of “our friends”, urging the new US government to carefully examine Britain’s mistakes as it will make its own decisions.

Chinese finger

David Lami, however, also mentioned the dangers of the absence of American aid on the world political scene. As he pointed out, “growth remains a very powerful weapon of indirect influence and in the absence of it I am very worried that China or other countries may take advantage of this gap.”

Similar warnings have also been headed by the world’s security and in Washington, who believe that China is the most immediate threat, following the Trump decision to dismantle the USAID International Development Service.