According to Reuters and Bloomberg, the budget for U.S. international humanitarian assistance for 2025 will be $5.4 billion, while previously about $43 billion was distributed annually through USAID. The new bureau will focus on "vital projects," disaster response, and humanitarian crises, while programs related to climate issues and social initiatives will be scaled back.
The Trump administration is confident that these changes will make aid more effective and better aligned with the country's strategic interests. As reported by the Associated Press, the new bureau will operate through 12 regional hubs and is expected to improve coordination with international organizations, including the UN.
However, critics of the reform warn of potentially serious consequences. In particular, a study published in The Lancet Global Health predicts that the actual closure of previous USAID programs could lead to 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 considering limiting assistance to HIV patients in Zambia in the context of broader negotiations about the country's resources. U.S. officials emphasize that aid is not being completely halted, but rather the approach to its distribution is changing.
