U.S. to Provide Only $2B in UN Humanitarian Aid, Raising Concerns for Vulnerable Groups | WPN World People News

The United States announced on the 29th that it will commit only US$2 billion in humanitarian aid to the United Nations, while warning UN agencies that they must “adapt, downsize, or die” in response to a new fiscal reality. The funding represents only a small fraction of Washington’s past contributions, but the Trump administration argues it is still sufficient to maintain the U.S. position as the world’s largest humanitarian donor. The move also establishes a centralized fund to allocate resources across agencies and priority programs. The decision has raised alarm among humanitarian workers, with some programs and services already being cut.

According to UN data, U.S. aid in 2025 stands at US$3.38 billion, accounting for just 14.8% of total global donations—down sharply from US$14.1 billion the previous year and far below the 2022 peak of US$17.2 billion. U.S. officials noted that annual contributions in the past had reached as high as US$17 billion, including around US$8–10 billion in voluntary funding and several billion dollars in mandatory UN membership dues. Critics argue that cuts in Western aid will leave millions facing hunger, displacement, or disease, while also eroding U.S. global soft power.

The decision has plunged many UN agencies into crisis, particularly those responsible for refugees, migrants, and food assistance. The Trump administration’s multibillion-dollar cuts to foreign aid have forced these organizations to slash budgets, scale back aid programs, and eliminate thousands of jobs. Other major Western donors, such as Germany, have also reduced aid as defense spending rises. UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths warned that the global humanitarian response is overstretched and underfunded, leaving the UN with “brutal choices” about how to focus scarce resources on those in greatest need.