Geneva, Dec. 29, 2025
A U.S. State Department official on Monday said the U.S. has made a $2 billion pledge for UN humanitarian aid following major foreign aid cuts by the Donald Trump administration.
The U.S. slashed its aid spending this year, and leading Western donors such as Germany also pared back assistance as they pivoted to increased defense spending, triggering a severe funding crunch for the United Nations.
The U.S. State Department official said the U.S. was pledging to commit $2billion in funding to the UN for humanitarian aid.
No further details were provided on how the money would be allocated or if additional pledges would follow.
UN data showed total U.S. humanitarian contributions to the UN fell to about $3.38 billion in 2025, equating to about 14.8 per cent of the global sum.
This was down sharply from $14.1 billion the prior year, and a peak of $17.2 billion in 2022.
Earlier in December, the United Nations launched a 2026 aid appeal for $23 billion to reach 87 million people at risk, half the $47 billion sought for 2025, reflecting plunging donor support despite record global needs.
UN aid chief Tom Fletcher has said the UN’s humanitarian response was overstretched and underfunded, meaning “brutal choices” had to be made to prioritise those most in need.
