The U.S. foreign aid is at risk — Guterres reacts

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to reconsider the decision to pause foreign aid for 90 days. According to him, it is important to ensure the continuity of critical humanitarian and development assistance for the most vulnerable communities around the world.

It is reported by Reuters.

The United States suspends foreign aid

Recently, Donald Trump announced a temporary pause in international aid. This came just hours after his inauguration on January 20, 2025. The newly elected U.S. president said that he wanted to review foreign aid programs to ensure that they were in line with U.S. foreign policy interests.

This decision caused concern at the UN, humanitarian organizations, and human rights activists, as the United States is the world's largest donor, providing billions of dollars in aid each year.

UN response and call for cooperation

Guterres' spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, noted that the United States has always been a major donor to the UN, supporting humanitarian programs that save the lives of millions of people. The Secretary-General expressed his readiness to work with the new U.S. Administration to ensure the protection of the most vulnerable, even as it reviews its foreign assistance policy.

U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has already made an exception for emergency food aid programs. But Guterres is pushing for additional exemptions to support medical programs, protection of human rights defenders, and development programs. Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have also highlighted the risks to critical programs if their funding is cut off.

As a reminder, the United States recently banned immigrants, including refugees from Ukraine. The U.S. also suspended the U4U program.