Global South Turns to Trump Lobbyists as US Aid Slumps

When the US slashed its global humanitarian assistance, many resource-rich yet cash-strapped nations scrambled to pay lobbyists tied to former president Trump. Contracts worth more than $17 million were inked by 11 developing nations, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Yemen, and Somalia.
The deal: supply critical minerals and access in exchange for diplomatic and military support. The DRC is negotiating access to lithium, cobalt, and coltan through a $1.2 million agreement with Ballard Partners, while Somalia and Yemen signed deals totaling nearly $1 million with BGR Government Affairs.
Pakistan—a country with deep poverty but mineral wealth—engaged lobbyists linked to Trump insiders like Keith Schiller, spending hundreds of thousands monthly to maintain rhetorical leverage in Washington.
Humanitarian advocates argue this trend may deepen inequality, as struggling nations increasingly trade autonomy and resources for aid they once received without strings.