According to data from Reuters and Bloomberg, the budget for international humanitarian assistance for 2025 will be $5.4 billion, sharply contrasting with the previous $43 billion allocated through USAID. The new bureau will focus on "life-saving projects," as well as responding to natural disasters and humanitarian crises. At the same time, funding for climate-related and other social programs has been significantly reduced.
The Trump administration claims that such measures will make humanitarian aid more effective and better aligned with U.S. strategic interests. As reported by the Associated Press, the new bureau will operate through 12 regional hubs, which should improve coordination with international organizations, including the UN.
However, critics point to the potential serious consequences of this reform. In particular, a study published in The Lancet Global Health predicts that the near-total elimination of previous USAID programs could result in an additional 14.1 million deaths by 2030, including more than 4.5 million children under five years old.
At the same time, The New York Times reported that Washington is also considering reducing aid to HIV patients in Zambia as part of broader negotiations over access to the country's natural resources. U.S. officials emphasize that aid will not be completely halted, but rather the approach to its distribution will change.
