Charlize Theron warns U.S. foreign aid cuts are endangering lives in South Africa and calls for activism against policy changes.

Theron Speaks Out at Los Angeles Charity Event

Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron voiced strong opposition to the Trump administration’s foreign aid policy during her annual Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Program Block Party in Los Angeles. Although Theron did not explicitly name President Donald Trump, her remarks targeted recent decisions by his administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to slash U.S. foreign aid, particularly through USAID.

Theron, a South African native, warned that these cuts have already caused significant harm. “Foreign aid cuts brought HIV and AIDS programs in my home country of South Africa to an absolute standstill,” she said. “All of this is not just detrimental, it’s dangerous. People will lose their lives. Many have already, unfortunately, and at a frightening rate. It’s absolutely heartbreaking to see this kind of unnecessary suffering.”

Her comments come after Trump signed an executive order in February cutting all U.S. foreign aid to South Africa. The administration cited concerns over alleged racial discrimination and the seizure of agricultural property from ethnic minority Afrikaners as justification for the move.

Theron’s remarks reflected deep personal concern. “The world feels like it’s burning because it is,” she said, emphasizing the urgency of global crises fueled by shifting U.S. policy. She argued that the impact goes beyond statistics, affecting real people and families already at risk due to poverty, disease, and limited access to healthcare.

Calls for Activism and Solidarity

Theron extended her criticism to recent immigration raids in Los Angeles, as well as the erosion of rights for women and LGBTQ individuals both in the U.S. and globally. “Immigration policy is destroying the lives of families, not criminals. Women’s rights are becoming less and less every day, queer and trans lives are increasingly being erased, and gender-based violence is on the rise. This isn’t just policy, it’s personal.”

Despite the bleak outlook, Theron urged hope and collective action. “There is hope in standing up, organizing, protesting, voting and caring for each other, and refusing to accept that this is the new normal,” she stated, holding up her charity’s work as an example of grassroots change. Her remarks echoed her previous advocacy, including strong language used in defense of drag performers’ rights at the 2023 “Drag Isn’t Dangerous” telethon.

The comments drew attention to the broader humanitarian impact of U.S. foreign and domestic policy shifts, highlighting the ways in which vulnerable communities are affected. As debates continue over aid, immigration, and human rights, Theron’s call to action reflects growing activism among artists and public figures determined to push back against policies they see as harmful.

Theron’s spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.