The abrupt end of U.S. foreign assistance for independent media—once funded largely through USAID—has devastated outlets worldwide that relied on those resources. The shift reflects a broader policy change under the Trump administration, risking not only press freedom in fragile democracies but also American strategic interests in supporting open information environments, according to the Columbia Journalism Review.

According to The Washington Post, the Trump administration’s America First strategy has trickled down to what’s left of the government’s humanitarian apparatus, potentially leading to millions of deaths by 2030. At a time when more delicate approaches to the world’s ‘middle powers’ are required, opinion polls have shown tanking public approval of the United States in many countries around the world.

Loss of U.S. aid has caused community care interruptions that have increased the risk of drug-resistant tuberculosis in India, according to Think Global Health. Without donor-funded community programs, patients are far more likely to fall through the cracks, even when medicines are technically free, putting years of progress in reducing stigma and improving treatment completion at risk.

According to the Financial Times, a year after the Trump administration cancelled hundreds of millions in labor rights funding, hard-won gains are now at risk. Due to cuts to USAID, the State Department and the Labor Department’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs, efforts to address some of the worst forms of human exploitation in places like Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Uzbekistan face significant setbacks.

Instead of being directed at where they can save the most lives, U.S. humanitarian efforts now seem to be aimed primarily at where they can advance the Trump administration’s other priorities, according to The Atlantic. This radical shift in the approach to foreign aid seems to be less grounded in past bipartisan narratives of humanitarianism or charity, and more focused on strategic engagement to advance the current administration’s goals.

A new Lancet study examines how the dismantling of international aid by the U.S. and other countries could undo decades of health gains, projecting up to 9.4 million extra deaths by 2030 if current conditions persist. This projection provides an early picture of how funding reductions could undo decades of health gains, leading to upsurges in HIV/AIDS, malaria and hunger across the developing world, according to The Washington Post.

U.S. and European officials are growing increasingly worried as hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. energy assistance promised to Ukraine remain unreleased, according to Reuters. As severe winter conditions push the nation's war‑damaged power grid to the brink, authorities fear residents will freeze to death in their own homes if aid is not delivered.

The Guardian reports that a year after the Trump administration’s cuts to U.S. aid, Australian charities and development programs in the Pacific have struggled to fill the resulting gaps in funding for education, health, and food security, with some groups describing impacts that have led to preventable hardship and deaths.

Recent U.S. foreign policy shifts toward isolationism labeled “America Alone” conflict with broad public opinion showing Americans generally support multilateral engagement, alliances, and advocating for human rights and democracy abroad, according to Just Security.

Escalating gang violence in Haiti has hampered aid delivery and left many Haitians turning to local solutions in the absence of robust international support. According to The Christian Science Monitor, donors including USAID have reduced assistance amid the volatile security environment, complicating efforts to address poverty and instability across the country.

According to Forbes, the dismantling of USAID and the U.S. exit from the World Health Organization have left a significant leadership and funding gap in global health initiatives. Without renewed American engagement or alternative governance models, weakened health systems and unmet needs in vulnerable countries could widen, forcing a rethinking of how global health priorities are funded and led.

The Trump administration announced a significant expansion of the Mexico City Policy, barring U.S. foreign aid to those it says support “gender ideology” and diversity, equity and inclusion. Supporters praise the move as protecting U.S. taxpayer dollars from funding abortion internationally, while critics warn the restrictions undermine care for women and marginalized populations, according to NPR.

The Independent reports that changes to U.S. foreign assistance under the Trump administration have coincided with interruptions in health, contraception, and disease control services in several African countries. With the scale of support significantly reduced, the shape of American foreign assistance and its effect on the world going forward looks very different one year on.

In the wake of the USAID closure, philanthropies are trying to fill some of the gap. NPR follows how one organization is trying to do the most good in the face of major cuts to U.S. foreign assistance.

Health Policy Watch reports that one year after the U.S. government paused foreign aid and cut global health projects, gaps continue to emerge in services such as HIV treatment. These changes were a major shock to global health financing and governance, with models estimating significant deaths and disease spread associated with the funding interruptions.