Malawi's reliance on U.S. foreign assistance has been thrown into uncertainty following President Donald Trump's controversial executive orders. Among these is the suspension of all U.S. foreign aid programs for 90 days pending a review--a move that could disrupt the $350 million (about K607 billion) Malawi receives annually to support health, education, agriculture, and governance.

The orders, issued just hours after Trump's inauguration, have caused a ripple of concern. Malawi's officials, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Treasury, remain in the dark about the implications of the suspension. Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Lilongwe has indicated it needs more time to assess the orders' potential impact.

Trump's foreign policy stance, including withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Paris Climate Agreement, poses additional threats to Malawi's fight against malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and climate change. His stringent immigration policies have also sparked fears of mass deportations of Malawians living in the U.S.

While funding for existing programs like the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact might remain untouched, the future of other critical initiatives, such as the National Reading Programme supported by USAID, hangs in the balance. Economist Milward Tobias points out that Malawi's position in U.S. priorities post-review remains unclear, leaving the nation vulnerable to funding cuts.

Trump's actions have raised a pressing question: will Malawi remain a beneficiary of U.S. aid, or is the nation set to bear the brunt of his "America First" policies? For a country heavily dependent on foreign assistance, the stakes could not be higher.