A Year of Disruption: 5 Resources to Understand Foreign Aid Cuts
Reflecting on a volatile year of changes to foreign aid and global health funding
Posted on Feb 3, 2026
When President Donald Trump took office over a year ago, he almost immediately began destroying decades of bipartisan efforts and decimating foreign aid as we knew it. The administration started by issuing executive orders that halted critical work around the world, but that would just be the beginning.
Over the past year, billions of dollars for global health have been cut or unconstitutionally withheld.
As this was happening in the countries where Partners In Health (PIH) works and beyond, we were learning and adapting in time with the rest of the world. PIH shared resources with our communities as we watched these decisions unfold, harming projects and patients. Below, we’ve collected five of our top resources from the past year to help you understand some of the broad impacts of the foreign aid cuts:
Financing the Right to Health: How the Destruction of Foreign Aid Reveals Deeper, Systemic Problems
In April, we wrote an article discussing how federal funding cuts reveal unjust structures that have increased dependence on foreign aid—which made the lost funding even more devastating.
The Chain Reaction of Foreign Aid Cuts
In June, we illustrated what really happens when foreign aid is cut. Starting with lost funding and ending with a reversal of critical progress in global health, slashing foreign aid causes a chain reaction that ultimately ends in lives lost.
The Health Consequences of Foreign Aid Cuts
Last summer, as the White House was requesting Congress codify $8.3 billion in cuts to foreign aid, we looked at the devastating impact on global health—and offered ways our community of supporters could help stop it.
Webinar: Health in the Balance: What's at Stake for Global Health
In October, Dr. Joia Mukherjee, PIH senior clinical and academic advisor, and Vincent Lin, PIH associate director of health policy & advocacy, hosted a virtual discussion covering the persisting challenges in Washington, D.C., from funding cuts to public health threats.
What Research Funding Cuts Mean for the Future of Health Care
In the aftermath of USAID’s dismantling and cuts to NIH funding, medical research around the world ground to a halt. We explored how those cuts harm medical advancements, cost jobs, and will ultimately hurt millions of people around the world.
Stay Connected
Join our newsletter to stay informed through updates, important content like this, and more!
Paul's Promise
As we mourn the passing of our beloved Dr. Paul Farmer, we also honor his life and legacy.
Bending the Arc
More than 30 years ago, a movement began that would change global health forever. Bending the Arc is the story of Partners In Health's origins.