Alarming Findings Suggest Trump's Foreign Aid Cuts Could Lead to Millions of Avoidable Deaths

Research indicates that significant reductions in USAID funding could mirror the impacts of a global pandemic or major conflict, threatening health progress in low- and middle-income nations. With humanitarian organizations sounding the alarm, experts fear irreversible damage to vulnerable populations.

Recent research from The Lancet has raised alarm over the potential impacts of steep cuts to US foreign humanitarian aid initiatives under the Trump administration. The study estimates that these funding reductions could lead to more than 14 million additional deaths by 2030, with children comprising a shocking one-third of this projection.

According to Davide Rasella, a co-author of the report, the impending shock to low- and middle-income countries could parallel the devastation caused by global pandemics or significant military conflicts. He described the situation as dire, underscoring the risks posed by the systemic withdrawal of support facilitated by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Reports indicate that more than 80% of USAID programs had been canceled as part of the administration's efforts to cut what it deems excess spending, further exacerbated by the oversight of Elon Musk in streamlining federal operations during this period. As Trump emphasizes an "America First" policy, the implications for international aid have been disastrous, according to the findings.

The Lancet study highlights that previous USAID funding efforts have been instrumental in saving over 90 million lives in developing nations from 2001 to 2021. By modeling the impact of an anticipated 83% reduction in funding, the researchers estimate that more than 4.5 million children under five could be among the preventable deaths by 2030.

In a grim backdrop, the report emerged as global leaders convened in Seville, Spain, for a high-profile United Nations-led aid conference—the largest in a decade—where the United States is not expected to participate. As the foremost humanitarian aid provider worldwide, the US has previously operated in over 60 countries, allocating approximately $68 billion towards international aid in 2023.

The ramifications of the funding cuts have rippled through other donor nations, with the UK, France, and Germany also announcing reductions, drawing widespread condemnation from humanitarian organizations. The United Nations recently stated that these cuts represent "the deepest funding reductions ever to impact the international humanitarian sector," with boots on the ground witnessing firsthand distressing outcomes.

Accounts from UN officials signal that as a result of US funding cuts, humanitarian crises are intensifying, especially in regions such as Kenyan refugee camps where individuals are "slowly starving" due to decreased food assistance. In one alarming instance, aid workers reported observing babies with severe malnutrition, showcasing the urgent need for sustained international humanitarian support.