In a shift in foreign policy, U.S. diplomats in Africa will now be assessed based on their success in brokering commercial deals, rather than on the volume of aid they attracted and helped distribute in their host countries. The shift reflects one of President Donald Trump’s many foreign policy postures and emphasizes economic self-interest and reciprocal partnerships over traditional aid-driven diplomacy.
The announcement on U.S. commercial diplomacy in Africa was made by Troy Fitrell, a recipient of the Presidential Rank Award and a senior official with the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs. While speaking to the media, Fitrell outlined the new approach, which aligns with the Trump administration’s agenda to reduce the U.S. trade deficit and promote mutual economic growth with international partners.
“Assistance positions one country as a donor and the other as a recipient,” said Fitrell. “Commerce, by contrast, is a transaction between equals.”
The new approach to state relations as upheld by the Trump administration resonated in the reality of the numbers. In just the first 100 days of his presidency, U.S. ambassadors helped facilitate 33 commercial agreements across the African continent, totaling approximately $6 billion.
According to Fitrell, “The old slogan ‘Trade, not aid’ is no longer just rhetoric—it’s now central to our policy.”
Historically, African states have been among the largest recipients of U.S. foreign aid, particularly through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). However, Trump’s second coming, followed by his push mantra, “America First”, meant that funding was reduced, signaling a significant detour in how Washington engages with the continent.
Despite these new realities, the U.S. has not withdrawn from major economic commitments it has in Africa. For instance, the government recently extended a $550 million loan to support the Lobito rail corridor, a massive infrastructure project spanning Angola, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The railway, which links mineral-rich central Africa to the Atlantic Ocean, is expected to become a vital trade route, enabling faster and more efficient exports of essential minerals such as copper and cobalt. These resources are critical components in the production of electric vehicles, data centers, and cutting-edge AI technologies.
The investment is considered a counterweight to China’s expanding influence in African infrastructure. As Beijing continues to pour billions into African development through its Belt and Road Initiative, Washington is signaling it intends to remain economically engaged, albeit on new terms.
According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, U.S. exports to sub-Saharan Africa currently account for less than 1% of total American trade. That figure underscores both the challenges and opportunities inherent in this new direction.
While aid is disappearing, aid isn’t disappearing, at least not entirely from U.S. foreign policy. The recent shake-up meant that the U.S. set out to redefine who gets it, how, and why. And at the core of Trump’s ideal foreign policy thrust, it is to focus on economic partnerships, grounded in shared interests; an approach U.S. officials argue is better suited to the aspirations of modern African economies.
