Shortly after taking office, **President Donald Trump** enacted an executive order that imposed a 90-day suspension on most foreign aid. This choice has led to far-reaching effects, one of which is a lesser-known consequence for the State Department’s Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy (CDP), a new initiative aimed at promoting technological partnerships and tackling emerging cyber threats through diplomatic channels.
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As reported by **The Record**, the foreign aid suspension has effectively stalled the CDP, halting its activities despite having tens of millions of dollars allocated for its use. The bureau has been engaged in various essential projects, such as deploying a “cyber incident response team” to Costa Rica, working alongside the Vietnamese government to mitigate cyber threats posed by North Korea, and enabling the installation of a subsea telecommunications cable in Tuvalu.
Compounding the bureau’s difficulties, **Nate Fick**, the U.S. Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy, resigned from his post on Monday. Fick, who was the inaugural cyber ambassador in U.S. history, significantly influenced the bureau’s objectives.
The CDP was created in 2022 by Congress with the goal of enhancing U.S. diplomatic endeavors to combat cyber threats and foster technological collaboration. Its funding—exceeding $90 million—comes from various sources, including its base budget, the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, and the Digital Connectivity and Related Technologies Fund.
The bureau’s **last activity on its X account** (formerly Twitter) included a retweet from the State Department’s official account, celebrating Trump’s Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. The CDP has not shared any original posts since January 17, prior to Trump’s inauguration.