Nestpoint's Ambassador Michael Murphy and Alex Olson Make the Case for “Trade, Not Aid” in Daily Wire Op-Ed
Washington, D.C., November 9, 2026 — Nestpoint's Ambassador Michael Patrick Murphy, Director of Africa and the Middle East, and Alex Olson, Deputy Director of Government Affairs, co-authored a new opinion piece in Daily Wire making the case for a “trade, not aid” approach to U.S.–Africa relations. Their strategy centers on investment, critical mineral supply chains, and commercial partnerships that deliver returns for both the United States and its African partners.
The op-ed, “The New Rules Of American Power Replacing The Left’s Favorite Aid Organization,” examines American diplomacy after the dissolution of USAID, a move the authors call overdue. They argue that the Trump administration has since built “trade, not aid” into how Washington operates, starting in Africa.
“Africa's leaders have been asking for partners, not patrons, for years,” the authors write.
Washington now has the tools to answer that call, they note. The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has a $205 billion investment ceiling, more than triple its previous limit, along with expanded authority to take equity stakes. The Washington Accords between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda tie a peace framework to traceable supply chains for cobalt, copper, and coltan, with American access built in.
Critical minerals sit at the center of this strategy. China controls roughly 70% of global processing capacity, while Africa holds nearly 30% of the world's reserves. Murphy and Olson argue that whoever builds the continent's mines, railways, and refineries will set the terms for everyone else, making American investment essential to securing supply chains for U.S. manufacturing, energy, and defense.
The authors also point to the role of Gulf partners. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar are among Africa's largest investors, and in Murphy and Olson's experience, they would rather build alongside Americans than without them.
Beyond minerals, the op-ed highlights Africa's growing consumer base. By 2050, more than one in four people on Earth will be African, creating new demand for American goods and new orders for U.S. manufacturers and workers.
“America First means exporting, not just importing,” they write.
Murphy and Olson stress that this model is an investment that pays. DFC posted net income of $341 million in FY2023 and $241 million in FY2024, and its predecessor, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, returned a profit to the Treasury for 40 consecutive years. They credit the president's Africa team at the National Security Council, the State Department, and DFC with keeping the focus on deals that deliver for Americans.
“America First does not mean America alone,” the authors conclude, framing trade and investment as a way to bring home minerals, markets, jobs, and returns while supporting growth among African partners.
The opinion piece, “The New Rules Of American Power Replacing The Left’s Favorite Aid Organization,” was co-authored by Ambassador Michael Patrick Murphy and Alex Olson and published by The Daily Wire on November 7, 2026. You can read it here.
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