The United States’ newly announced $2 billion humanitarian aid pledge has prompted concern among aid experts who warn that strict conditions attached to the funding could significantly reshape how the United Nations delivers emergency assistance worldwide.
While UN officials welcomed the pledge as a critical injection of support following a year of deep global aid cuts, analysts say the terms imposed by Washington may force the humanitarian system into a smaller, less flexible structure aligned closely with U.S. political priorities.
When announcing the funding this week, the U.S. State Department said the UN humanitarian system must “adapt, shrink or die,” calling for reforms to reduce waste and streamline operations. The United States also required that the funds be routed through a single pooled mechanism managed by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs rather than distributed directly to individual UN agencies.
Under the conditions, the funding may only be used in 17 countries identified by the U.S., a list that includes Sudan, Haiti, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo but excludes other crisis-hit nations such as Afghanistan and Yemen.
Aid researcher Themrise Khan criticized the approach, arguing that it undermines the principles of impartial humanitarian assistance. She said the UN’s public praise of the pledge overlooked the extent of the restrictions attached to the money.
“It points to a system that is now deeply subordinate to one donor’s political agenda,” Khan said. “For many observers, this represents a fundamental shift in how humanitarian aid is governed.”
Ronny Patz, an independent analyst focused on UN financing, said the predefined list of recipient countries highlights the political nature of the funding. He warned that the restrictions could limit the UN’s ability to respond to new crises that fall outside Washington’s priorities.
“If a major humanitarian emergency emerges in a country not on the list, it is unclear whether these funds could be redirected,” Patz said. “That raises serious questions about flexibility and independence.”
Experts also questioned whether the $2 billion pledge will offset broader reductions in U.S. support. According to analysts tracking aid flows, the United States provided more than $3.3 billion to UN humanitarian operations in 2025, meaning the new commitment represents a net decline compared with previous levels.
Thomas Byrnes, chief executive of humanitarian consultancy MarketImpact, said the announcement should be viewed in the context of wider U.S. policy decisions, including cuts to previously approved foreign assistance and proposals to end funding for UN peacekeeping missions.
“This is a highly structured political announcement,” Byrnes said. “It offers some relief, but it does not compensate for the scale of funding that has already been withdrawn.”
Both Byrnes and Patz expressed concern that centralizing the funds under OCHA could increase U.S. leverage over how aid is allocated. Patz also cautioned that the pledge may be conditional on further reforms.
“This is funding that has been promised, not yet delivered,” he said. “If expectations are not met, there is no guarantee the money will actually flow.”
As humanitarian needs continue to rise globally, aid groups say the debate underscores growing tension between donor-driven priorities and the UN’s mandate to deliver neutral, needs-based assistance across crises worldwide.
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