US pledges $2 billion in humanitarian support to UN, State Department says
The US 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 United States (US) has made a $2 billion pledge for United Nations (UN) humanitarian aid, a US State Department official said today (29 December), following major foreign aid cuts by the Trump administration in 2025.
The US 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 US is pledging to commit $2 billion in funding to the UN for humanitarian aid, the US State Department official said. No further details were provided on how the money would be allocated or if additional pledges would follow.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
UN data shows total US humanitarian contributions to the UN fell to about $3.38 billion in 2025, equating to about 14.8% 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 UN 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 is overstretched and underfunded, meaning "brutal choices" had to be made to prioritise those most in need.
