The United States has pledged $2 billion in funding for U.N. humanitarian aid, a State Department official confirmed on Monday, signaling renewed support following deep cuts to foreign assistance in 2025.
This year, U.S. contributions to the U.N. fell sharply to about $3.38 billion, representing just under 15% of global humanitarian aid—a steep decline from $14.1 billion in 2024 and a peak of $17.2 billion in 2022. Other leading Western donors, including Germany, also reduced aid, prioritizing defense spending and creating a severe funding shortfall for U.N. programs.
The new pledge comes as the U.N. launches its 2026 aid appeal for $23 billion, aiming to reach 87 million people at risk—half of the $47 billion requested in 2025—underscoring the continuing gap between global humanitarian needs and available resources.
U.N. aid chief Tom Fletcher has warned that the humanitarian response is overstretched and underfunded, forcing the organization to make “brutal choices” about who receives assistance.
Details on how the U.S. $2 billion will be allocated or whether further pledges will follow have not yet been disclosed, but the commitment is expected to provide critical relief for vulnerable populations worldwide.
