Trump, Musk-Backed Aid Cuts Threaten Global Health

A major study in The Lancet warns that deep cuts to US foreign aid, particularly through the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) after Donald Trump’s return to office and championed by advisor Elon Musk, could cause over 14 million additional deaths globally by 2030, including millions of children under five. The 83% reduction in USAID programs is expected to reverse two decades of health progress in low- and middle-income countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. USAID interventions between 2001 and 2021 prevented more than 91 million deaths, with major gains against diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and childhood illnesses. Experts say the scale of harm rivals that of a global pandemic or a major war. Aid cuts have already resulted in severe malnutrition, starvation in Kenyan refugee camps, and the loss of vital vaccine funding. The policy has drawn strong criticism from global leaders and former US presidents, who warn that decades of development progress are at risk.