US slashes UN humanitarian aid to $2bn, huge cut as Trump demands reforms

As President Donald Trump’s administration continues to significantly reduce its influence in international aid, the United States has stated that it will contribute only $2 billion in humanitarian aid to the UN, which is only a small portion of its traditional funding.

The reduced commitment, which was made public on Monday, is a stark contrast to the up to $ 17 billion that the US has contributed as the UN’s top funder in recent years, with between $8 and $10 billion in voluntary contributions, according to US officials.

As a result of Trump’s dramatic aid reductions, which have caused deaths and hunger in millions of people all over the world, millions of people have lost shelter, food, and other essential aid, critics have sharply criticized the US’s harsh criticism.

With initial targets of 17 nations, including Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Syria, and Ukraine, the $2 billion will create a pool of funds that can be allocated to specific countries or crises.

Palestine and Afghanistan are not included on the list, according to officials, who claim that Trump’s not-finished Gaza plan will cover its expenses.

Negative effects of Western nations’ aid reduction

As the extent of Western funding losses became clear, the UN launched a 2026 appeal for $ 23 billion, which is half the amount it needs.

In response to “the deepest funding cuts ever” being made to the international aid sector, the UN had previously warned in June.

Trump has effectively “shrunk” the US Agency for International Development (USAID), its main channel for international aid, as his administration has urged UN agencies to “adapt, shrink, or die” in response to its approach.

Germany and other Western nations have also seen funding cuts.

Middle Eastern, South Asia, and Africa have experienced swift fallout.

More than 11 million refugees would lose access to aid, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in July. The organization anticipated an agency budget of only $3.5 billion by the end of the year to meet the needs of 122 million people at the time, but at the time only received 23 percent of its $0.6 billion budget.

UNHCR warned that basic services for Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh were in danger of collapsing, and that more than 230, 000 Rohingya children’s education was scheduled to be suspended.

The UN predicted a rise in HIV/AIDS deaths by 2029 as a result of the funding cuts, while Doctors Without Borders, a French charity, reported that more than 650 children in Nigeria had died from malnutrition as a result of the cuts in international aid.

“Step the spigot”

A senior US official told The Associated Press that the $2 billion is a part of a larger plan that would allow the UN humanitarian agency (OCHA) to “control the spigot” of funds, under the condition of anonymity.

According to the official, Trump’s administration wants to see “more consolidated leadership authority” among UN agencies.

Tom Fletcher, OCHA’s CEO, has previously criticized international “apathy” for growing humanitarian needs and called for “against attack.”