Trump-Era US Aid Cuts Could Cause 14 Million Deaths by 2030, Study Warns
A new study published in The Lancet medical journal warns that massive cuts to US foreign aid, initiated during Donald Trump’s presidency, could result in more than 14 million preventable deaths worldwide by the year 2030.
A third of these deaths could be children, the study estimates.
The research focused on the impact of slashing funding to the US Agency for International Development (USAID) — the primary channel through which American humanitarian aid reaches low- and middle-income countries.
Earlier this year, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that the Trump administration had cancelled over 80% of USAID programmes.
“For many countries, this would be like facing a global pandemic or a large-scale war,” said Davide Rasella, one of the report’s authors and a global health researcher at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health.
Rasella warned that the sudden withdrawal of funding could undo two decades of progress in healthcare for vulnerable populations.
Alarming Projections
Researchers analyzed data from 133 countries and estimated that USAID’s support helped prevent 91 million deaths between 2001 and 2021. Using computer models, they projected the impact of the 83% funding cut announced by the US government.
- The projection: Over 14 million additional deaths by 2030
- Includes: 4.5 million children under five
- Equivalent to: 700,000 child deaths every year
Global Alarm
The findings were released during a major United Nations aid conference in Seville, Spain, where dozens of world leaders have gathered to address the future of humanitarian assistance.
The United States has long been the largest provider of foreign aid, operating in over 60 countries, often through independent contractors.
However, under Trump’s leadership — guided in part by billionaire Elon Musk’s cost-cutting initiative — the administration aimed to shrink the federal workforce and redirect aid efforts. USAID was also criticized by the administration for allegedly supporting liberal causes.
Secretary Rubio said about 1,000 aid programs remain in place and will now be overseen directly by the State Department and Congress for “more effective” management.
