Shortly after returning to office in January, President Donald Trump made major cuts to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the 63-year-old government agency that oversees worldwide efforts to improve health, education, poverty, and hunger.
He signed an Executive Order in January to halt all foreign assistance for 90 days, claiming that U.S. foreign aid organizations “are not aligned with American interests.” He then fired thousands of USAID employees, recalling workers from missions around the world and leaving the agency with fewer than 300 staffers.
Then in March, the White House announced it would cut 83% of USAID programs, reduce its staff to about 15 positions, and fully absorb the agency into the State Department.
Trump’s cuts have already affected at least 50 countries, and halted life-saving services and medications for millions of people worldwide. Trump called the impact of his own cuts “devastating.”
The U.S. is the world’s largest humanitarian aid donor by a large margin, providing over 40% of contributions tracked by the United Nations in 2024.
Former senior USAID officials have warned that Trump’s cuts could cause millions of preventable deaths per year, accelerate global disease spread, and endanger American national security and economic stability.
What is USAID, and how much does it cost?
USAID has funded humanitarian aid, supported economic growth, and promoted democratic institutions in over 160 countries since its founding in 1961, with consistent widespread bipartisan support.
Nearly 90% of Americans say the U.S. should spend at least 1% of the federal budget on foreign aid — which is usually what the government spends.
In 2024, the U.S. disbursed about $79 billion in foreign aid, less than 1% of the total federal budget. Around half of that spending came from USAID programs.
Americans greatly overestimate the amount spent on foreign aid. In a survey by the Program for Public Consultation at the University of Maryland, a majority of respondents thought foreign aid accounted for at least 20% of the federal budget.
“Extreme overestimations of the amount of US foreign aid have led some Americans in some polls to favor reductions,” Steven Kull, Director of the Program for Public Consultation, wrote. “But large majorities support the actual amount of US aid.”
Why is Trump targeting USAID?
Trump’s cuts to USAID are part of his larger campaign to finance $4.5 trillion in tax cuts for higher-income households and corporations by reducing federal spending — even though USAID uses less than 1% of the annual federal budget.
He’s worked with tech billionaire Elon Musk to slash the size of the federal government and eliminate cases of “waste, fraud and abuse.”
Musk called USAID a “criminal organization” without evidence, and shared a video promoting a false claim that USAID paid for Hollywood stars to visit Ukraine.
“USAID, like every other government agency, is nonpartisan,” Susan Reichle, a former senior USAID officer, told NPR. “I served under five presidents, just as many others across the government have done so, and we take an oath to protect and defend the Constitution.”
Which USAID projects have been affected by Trump’s cuts?
The administration has not published a full list of projects affected by the cuts, but U.N. representatives told AP News that many of them are in fragile countries that rely on U.S. aid to support health systems and nutrition programs.
Nearly 16 million Ethiopians relied on donated grain in 2024, and half its children were malnourished. USAID was its single biggest donor of food and emergency supplies.
Many cancelled projects were foundational global health efforts to fight infectious diseases and prevent and contain future pandemics, which would directly impact American health and security.
Former USAID officials have predicted global surges in polio, tuberculosis, malaria, and Ebola, which could result in millions of preventable deaths per year. They’ve also predicted outbreaks of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) and bird flu, including 105 million cases in the U.S.
HIV infections could increase sixfold in the next four years due to the downsizing of PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief. PEPFAR provides testing and treatment for HIV, and has been credited with saving over 25 million lives since its launch in 2003.
Now, people are falling ill as the USAID-funded clinics that provided their HIV medications and treatment have been closed down.
What impact could these cuts have beyond global health?
In some countries, USAID has funded projects to help governments fight terrorism, aid and monitor migrants, and prevent drug and human trafficking. Trump’s actions have undercut a deal with Colombia designed to curtail the flow of drugs into the United States.
USAID funds have helped displaced Colombian farmers return to their lands and find alternatives to growing cocaine. Colombian officials have also used these funds to demobilize guerrilla groups and prosecute war crimes.
Experts worry about the possible diplomatic fallout of these cuts, warning that the U.S. could lose its global influence as other countries step in to replace its humanitarian support.
China has already started to fill some of the gaps that USAID has left. Local media outlets in Nepal and Colombia have reported that the Chinese government has expanded assistance for agriculture, disaster relief, health care, and poverty.
China also announced in March that it would provide Cambodia with a $4.4 million grant for landmine disposal initiatives, previously supported by USAID.
USAID cuts could also slow economic development in certain countries, including Vietnam. USAID has supported projects in Vietnam related to bomb and mine clearance, the environment, healthcare, disaster relief, and post-war legacy issues.
Many of those projects have been halted as of February.