On February 13, Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Pham Thu Hang, expressed strong concerns over President Trump's announcement to close the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). She stated, 'The closure of USAID is regrettable since it has contributed to bilateral cooperation in various fields such as healthcare, climate change, and disaster relief, as well as addressing the lingering consequences of war. The cessation of projects like landmine and unexploded ordnance removal and the decontamination of residual dioxins from Agent Orange would have serious impacts on people's safety and the environment."

USAID was established in 1961 under President John F. Kennedy as a non-military foreign aid agency, partially aimed at countering Soviet influence in developing countries during the Cold War. Today, it operates humanitarian aid activities in over 100 countries worldwide, including conflict zones and the poorest nations, providing food, healthcare, education, and protection of rights for women and social minorities. However, President Trump, who has long criticized USAID as a "corrupt and wasteful organization," halted funding and declared its closure shortly after assuming office.

The shutdown of USAID risks diminishing global trust in the United States, potentially emboldening authoritarian regimes and extremist groups. Additionally, another issue has emerged regarding USAID. On February 6, Trump posted on social media that USAID funds are flowing to fake news media. His claim was amplified by his ally, Elon Musk. While no evidence was provided, The New York Times and Politico, which were directly named, immediately denied the allegations. This controversy also reached Japan.

On Japanese social media, claims circulated that USAID might also be funding Japanese media and that the lack of coverage on USAID’s closure was suspicious. The accused media organizations denied these claims, and the Japan Fact-Check Center confirmed them as false information. At the root of this is a conspiracy theory claiming that 'USAID is a stronghold of the liberal Deep State and that the media is being manipulated through financial influence.' For these believers, verifying the truth seems unnecessary. “In an era where news-like content can be easily created, how should we act to break the negative cycle of misinformation and ensure facts are not buried?” As Jun Hori discusses in "Disasters and Misinformation" (Shueisha), the challenge lies in discerning the truth and facing it with determination.

This Week’s Focus, 2.16 – 2.20
Takashi Mizukoshi, the President