After a steep drop in US humanitarian funding, several low-income countries are engaging Trump-affiliated lobby groups to protect their interests. Through sizable contracts, nations like Somalia, Yemen, and the DRC are now seeking a seat at the negotiating table in Washington.
In return, many are offering untapped resources. The DRC, known for its cobalt and lithium reserves, may soon ink a deal that provides US firms access to these minerals in return for aid and security assurances.
Lobbying giants tied to Trump—such as Ballard Partners and BGR Government Affairs—are at the center of this surge. Ballard secured $1.2 million from the DRC; BGR is earning hundreds of thousands monthly from poorer governments.
Experts caution that as official aid streams dry up, developing nations face greater risks of lopsided bargains—potentially transferring their natural wealth for immediate, but possibly exploitative, relief.
Mineral Barter Amid Aid Cuts: Trump Lobbyists Cash In
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