Overview
- The United States, which unveiled the pledge Thursday, said the $1.8 billion will be distributed over the next year and adds to a $2 billion commitment made in December.
- State Department official Jeremy Lewin said 92% of U.S. assistance under the new mechanism is hyper‑prioritized for life‑saving work in places that match the president’s foreign‑policy interests.
- That targeting means some countries emphasized in UN plans will not receive U.S. funding through this channel, even as the money is framed as a lifeline for people facing disasters and famine.
- UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said the system is overstretched and under‑resourced, noting a $23 billion plan to reach 87 million people after raising about $7.38 billion before the U.S. announcement from 65 member states.
- U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz called the country the largest national donor, while Reuters reported Washington still owes about $4 billion to the UN, including $2.4 billion for peacekeeping, after paying $159 million toward regular‑budget arrears in January.