Hundreds of diplomats at the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development have written a letter addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio protesting the dismantling of USAID, saying its demise would undermine U.S. leadership and security and create a power vacuum which China and Russia could exploit.

In a cable expected to be filed with the department's internal "dissent channel," which allows diplomats to raise concerns about policy anonymously, the diplomats said the Trump administration's January 20 freeze on almost all foreign aid also endangers American diplomats and forces overseas while putting at risk the lives of millions abroad that depend on U.S. assistance.

More than 700 people have signed onto the letter, a U.S. official speaking on the condition of anonymity said.
"The decision to freeze and terminate foreign aid contracts and assistance awards without any meaningful review jeopardizes our partnerships with key allies, erodes trust, and creates openings for adversaries to expand their influence," said the cable.