The governments of Norway, the Netherlands, and Sweden have formally requested the return of more than $15 million in unspent development funds contributed to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), citing frustration over program freezes and growing distrust in U.S. reliability.

The contributions were intended to fund joint global development initiatives, including the Water and Energy for Food program, which aimed to support small-scale farmers across the Global South. But after widespread contract cancellations under the Trump regime, those projects never moved forward. With no clear path for disbursement, the European partners want their money back.

According to reporting by the Associated Press, European officials have received no response from USAID to their refund requests. In the meantime, partner organizations across Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia are left without funding or direction, many having already invested time and resources into now-defunct projects.

Critics of the USAID shake-up argue that the abrupt halt of international development efforts has damaged U.S. credibility abroad and imperiled thousands of livelihoods. One former project coordinator described the situation as “diplomatic theft.”

European officials say the request is about more than money—it’s about accountability and broken promises. The U.S. government, they argue, solicited international contributions and then abandoned the mission.

The Crustian Daily will continue monitoring the growing list of governments and organizations seeking compensation from U.S. agencies and holding Washington accountable for its failed global commitments.