Chicago – December 29, 2025
The United States announced a $2 billion pledge for United Nations humanitarian aid on Monday, marking a sharp reduction from past contributions of up to $17 billion annually, as President Donald Trump’s administration demands sweeping reforms. This initial outlay, described as generous by U.S. officials, establishes an umbrella fund managed by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) under Tom Fletcher to prioritize crises in 17 countries including Ukraine, Syria, and Haiti.
U.S. Ambassador to the UN Michael Waltz stated the move delivers “more aid with fewer tax dollars,” aligning assistance with American foreign policy while cutting bureaucratic overhead. The State Department warned that UN agencies must “adapt, shrink, or die” amid reduced funding from donors like Britain, France, Germany, and Japan, following a year of turmoil with program cuts and job losses.
Fletcher hailed the pledge as a “landmark contribution” to aid 87 million people in 2026, despite surging global needs from famines in Sudan and Gaza. Critics decry the cuts as shortsighted, risking hunger and displacement while eroding U.S. influence.
