Fact Check: "U.S. foreign aid drastically slashed under Trump, calling it wasteful."
What We Know
During Donald Trump's presidency, there were significant discussions and proposals regarding U.S. foreign aid. The Trump administration proposed cuts to the international affairs budget, which includes foreign aid, by nearly one-third in its budget proposals (source-1). In fiscal year 2019, foreign aid was approximately $39.2 billion, accounting for less than 1% of the federal budget (source-1).
In 2025, reports indicated that the Trump administration cut nearly 30% of State Department foreign aid-related grants, totaling around $4.4 billion (source-3). Furthermore, a rescission package proposed by Trump targeted $9.4 billion in foreign aid, labeling it as "woke" and "wasteful" (source-5).
Analysis
The claim that U.S. foreign aid was drastically slashed under Trump is supported by evidence of proposed budget cuts and actual reductions in funding. The proposed cuts were significant, with the administration aiming for a nearly one-third reduction in the international affairs budget (source-1). The cuts were met with bipartisan pushback, indicating that while the proposals were made, they did not fully materialize as intended due to opposition in Congress (source-1).
However, it is essential to note that while there were reductions, the overall amount of foreign aid remained a small fraction of the federal budget, consistently below 1% (source-1). The characterization of foreign aid as "wasteful" reflects a political stance rather than an objective assessment of its effectiveness, as many studies indicate that U.S. foreign aid has produced significant positive outcomes in areas such as health and development (source-1).
The sources used in this analysis are credible, with the primary source being a publication from Brookings Institution, a well-respected think tank. Other sources include reports from Reuters and Devex, which are reputable news organizations that cover international development and policy issues.
Conclusion
The claim that U.S. foreign aid was drastically slashed under Trump is Partially True. While there were significant proposals and some actual cuts to foreign aid during his administration, the overall funding remained a small percentage of the federal budget. Additionally, the framing of foreign aid as "wasteful" is subjective and does not reflect the bipartisan support that foreign aid has historically received or its documented effectiveness in various domains.
