“I am over here because my mother told me as a little kid to clean up after myself,” said Bill Morse, who was a U.S. Army officer during the Vietnam War and co-founded the Landmine Relief Fund.

Summary

The Trump administration has suspended foreign aid for 90 days, jeopardizing U.S.-funded mine-clearing efforts in Southeast Asia.

Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos, heavily contaminated with unexploded ordnance from the Vietnam War, have relied on U.S. assistance for decades.

The freeze has disrupted demining programs, forcing affected nations to seek alternative funding, including from China.

Critics warn the move undermines U.S. credibility and could push regional allies closer to American rivals.