Cuts to US Foreign Aid Could Cause 14 Million Deaths by 2030, Study Finds

Cuts to US Foreign Aid Could Cause 14 Million Deaths by 2030, Study Finds
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Deep cuts to US foreign aid under President Donald Trump’s administration could result in more than 14 million preventable deaths worldwide by 2030, according to a new study published in The Lancet on Tuesday. Researchers estimate that a third of those deaths could be among young children.

“For many low- and middle-income countries, the resulting shock would be comparable in scale to a global pandemic or a major armed conflict,” said study co-author Davide Rasella of the Barcelona Institute for Global Health.

Since taking office, the Trump administration has significantly reduced funding for USAID and related aid programs as part of efforts to curb what it considers unnecessary spending. Human rights advocates argue these cuts undermine decades of global health progress, particularly in low-income countries.

The study found that USAID-funded programs have prevented more than 91 million deaths over the last 20 years, including 30 million child deaths. Washington remains the world’s largest humanitarian donor, providing about 38% of all aid tracked by the UN.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in March that more than 80% of USAID’s programs had been canceled after a review. The remaining programs are now overseen by the State Department with congressional input.