Nigeria, Feb. 28 -- Since returning to office in January, US President Donald Trump has signed more than 73 executive orders, many of which can be considered an assault on the rule of law and separation of powers in the United States, an attack on the country's former Western allies, and on the liberal international order more generally. Most important for Africa, is his move to gut US development assistance and walk back efforts to fight corruption.

Following the 20 January executive order on Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid, USAID started distributing Notices of Suspension, instructing recipients to stop working on awards and not incur any new costs.

Subsequently, emergency food assistance and administrative expen...