US President Donald Trump’s administration has pledged $1.8 billion in additional humanitarian funding to the United Nations.
But the amounts announced Thursday fall far short of past commitments for U.S. humanitarian aid, which totaled $17 billion in fiscal year 2022.
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Still, the Trump administration tried to use that small amount as evidence that it was pushing to make the government more efficient.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Walz said Trump’s goal “brings transparency to how American tax dollars are used for humanitarian relief.”
“Let me be clear: President Trump has made it clear from his first day in office that the days of accepting the status quo process are over,” Walz said on the panel announcing the additional aid.
He added that Trump wants to help “reform” the international organization by changing the US approach to UN spending.
“In many ways, this collaboration on reform reflects President Trump’s priorities for the United Nations, which is to help the organization realize its potential,” Walz said. “His mission for us is to help transform educational institutions and help them realize their potential.”
Changes in aid under the Trump administration
The $1.8 billion announced Thursday is in addition to a $2 billion “anchor commitment” to humanitarian spending signed in December.
But these funds were part of a memorandum in which the Trump administration urged the United Nations to pursue a “humanitarian reset.” The organization criticized issues such as “ideological creepiness” and “bureaucratic inefficiency,” among other issues.
Since returning to office for a second term in January 2025, President Trump has begun withdrawing from international aid commitments, reducing available funding and dismantling key government structures.
Last July, for example, his administration shut down the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which for decades had been the country’s main agency for allocating foreign aid.
Funding for international aid and development has decreased overall as the Trump administration has frozen or terminated contracts.
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimates that development aid from the United States will decrease by 56.9% in 2025 compared to 2024.
Critics have warned that President Trump’s efforts to scale back international aid could come at the expense of human rights, global security and public health.
In a 42-page report released Thursday, Human Rights Watch called the “withdrawal of foreign funds” a “dictator’s dream” that would weaken international mechanisms to hold human rights abusers accountable.
“Foreign aid cuts make it harder to document human rights abuses, protect communities at risk, and hold human rights abusers accountable,” said Sarah Yeager, Washington director at Human Rights Watch.
Tug of war with the United Nations
Nevertheless, Trump and his allies argue that the funding cuts are necessary to combat “waste, fraud, and abuse” in the U.S. federal government.
President Trump has also been an outspoken critic of the United Nations, accusing it of failing to deliver on its promises.
For example, at last year’s United Nations General Assembly, the US president accused international organizations of “empty words” and lack of follow-through.
“What is the purpose of the United Nations?” Trump asked. “The United Nations has tremendous potential. I’ve always said that. The United Nations has tremendous potential, but at least for now, we’ve barely tapped into that potential.”
In order to achieve desired reforms at the United Nations, the Trump administration has sought to place conditions on funding given to the international organization.
However, the United States is in arrears with membership fees owed to the United Nations. In February, United Nations General Assembly officials reported that the United States had paid only $160 million of about $4 billion in past due dues.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres is among the leaders pressuring the US to meet its commitments and has ruled out any strings attached to delayed payments.
Speaking to reporters on April 30, Mr. Guterres rejected U.S. demands, including reforms to the United Nations’ pension system and its executive ranks.
“Assessed contributions are an obligation of member states,” he replied. “Those are non-negotiables.”
“Excessive burden” and “insufficient resources”
In Thursday’s panel discussion with Walz, Tom Fletcher, UN Undersecretary for Humanitarian Affairs, particularly emphasized the need to address suffering caused by conflicts, disasters and other global emergencies.
“We face increasing needs. More than 300 million people need our support, but we face declining global funding,” he said. “As a result, we are overburdened, under-resourced and literally under attack.”
Meanwhile, Walz sought to brush off criticism that the Trump administration has backed away from its pledge to help the world’s most vulnerable people.
“There’s a narrative in the media that the United States has left,” Walz said.
“That’s completely false. It’s fake news. The numbers that we not only announced in December, but that we’re announcing here today, will actually result in more cents for every dollar going to people in need.”
