In a stark warning, research published in The Lancet medical journal has indicated that cuts to U.S. foreign humanitarian aid initiated by former President Donald Trump could lead to more than 14 million additional deaths globally by 2030. Alarmingly, a third of those estimated to be affected by these premature deaths are children. The study highlights the grave implications for low- and middle-income nations, which are poised to experience a crisis comparable to a global pandemic or major armed conflict, according to lead researcher Davide Rasella of the Barcelona Institute for Global Health.
In March, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed that over 80% of funding programs at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) had been canceled as part of what the administration labels as a cutback of “wasteful spending.” These controversial cutbacks, critiqued internationally by humanitarian organizations, were implemented under the purview of billionaire Elon Musk, then spearheading an initiative to reduce the federal workforce.
Trump has frequently stated that he wants U.S. foreign spending to adhere strictly to an “America First” policy. Rasella cautioned that the drastic USAID reductions "risk abruptly halting - and even reversing - two decades of health progress among vulnerable populations."
The researchers' estimations suggest that the funding cuts could be responsible for a staggering 14 million avoidable deaths, inclusive of more than 4.5 million children under five years old, by 2030. This alarming report coincided with a United Nations-led aid conference in Seville, Spain, where the U.S. is notably absent despite being recognized as the world’s largest humanitarian aid provider—operating in over 60 countries with a substantial budget of $68 billion in international aid in 2023 alone.
With the cuts from the U.S., other nations, including the UK, France, and Germany, have also begun to retract their own aid commitments. Humanitarian organizations have condemned the situation, with the United Nations announcing that the international humanitarian sector has suffered unprecedented funding reductions.
Despite assurances from Rubio that around 1,000 U.S. programs might continue under the State Department’s administration, conditions for many affected populations have worsened. For instance, reports from UN officials indicate severe malnutrition, as seen in the stark reality of refugee camps in Kenya, where food rations have reached critically low levels due to U.S. aid cuts.
The overwhelming evidence underscores the urgent need for re-evaluating the humanitarian aid landscape amidst growing demands and diminishing funds.
