{"id":341942,"date":"2026-07-21T13:57:36","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T17:57:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?post_type=short-read&p=341942"},"modified":"2026-07-23T08:06:16","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T12:06:16","slug":"us-foreign-aid-is-plunging-in-second-trump-administration","status":"publish","type":"short-read","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2026\/07\/21\/us-foreign-aid-is-plunging-in-second-trump-administration\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S. foreign aid is plunging in second Trump administration"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A laid-off federal worker leaves the offices of the U.S. Agency for International Development in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 28, 2025. (Bryan Dozier\/Middle East Images\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

U.S. assistance to foreign countries fell to its lowest level in more than two decades in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2025, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of federal data. And it\u2019s on track to be even lower this fiscal year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Federal agencies disbursed $47.3 billion in foreign aid in fiscal 2025, about $26 billion less than in fiscal 2024, according to data from ForeignAssistance.gov<\/a>. Adjusted for inflation, that was the lowest amount of foreign aid since fiscal 2004. (The federal fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. For instance, fiscal 2026 began on Oct. 1, 2025, and will end on Sept. 30 of this year.)<\/p>\n\n\n

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In Trump’s second term, U.S. foreign assistance has dropped off sharply<\/strong><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
Total inflation-adjusted foreign assistance disbursed, by fiscal year<\/em><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Note: Dotted line represents data for the 2026 fiscal year through July 1, 2026.\u00a0Federal fiscal years begin Oct. 1 and end Sept. 30.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
Source: ForeignAssistance.gov, updated July 1, 2026.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
PEW RESEARCH CENTER<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Share this chart<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t