Skip to main content
< All (RED)itorial Posts

Why Should the U.S. Support Foreign Aid Programs?

March 10, 2025
News

Recent executive orders from the United States administration have raised questions and alarm over global health and the HIV/AIDS fight. With policy rhetoric shifting to an “America First” mentality, many are also curious why the U.S. should support other countries, financially or otherwise. Here is why it’s critically important for the U.S. to continue to support foreign aid programs.

1. Global Health & Pandemic Prevention

Diseases do not respect geopolitical borders. Investing in global health initiatives helps prevent the spread of infectious diseases like Ebola, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and COVID-19. Treatment and prevention through health programs not only save lives abroad, but also protect Americans by reducing the likelihood of disease outbreaks reaching U.S. borders.

2. Humanitarian & Moral Responsibility

Providing humanitarian aid to others is in the DNA of American history. The U.S. has long positioned itself as a leader in defending human rights and democracy. Providing aid during global crises reflects American values of compassion and responsibility, and creates a favorable image of the U.S. to the rest of the world.

3. National Security

Helping to stabilize regions by addressing poverty, disease, and lack of education can mitigate conditions that lead to extremism, conflict, and mass migration. By investing in development, the U.S. helps create stable governments that are less likely to become threats to themselves and other countries.

4. Economic Benefits

When developing countries grow economically, they become better trade partners for the U.S. Foreign aid programs can jump-start local economies, creating markets for American goods and services and, in turn, providing lasting returns on investment.

5. Creating & Strengthening Diplomatic Allyship

Partnerships with countries that receive U.S. aid are not one-sided. Aid fosters goodwill and stronger diplomatic ties with recipient countries, making them more likely to support U.S. policies on international issues. The strategic partnerships that emerge from aid can enhance the U.S.’s position on global policies.

6. Cost-Effectiveness Compared to Military Action

If the intent of scaling back aid is to save money, that may only yield a short-term result. In the same way that disease prevention is much more effective and economical than responsive treatment, history shows that investing in development aid is often far cheaper than military intervention. In the long run, addressing instability at its root—by improving governance, infrastructure, and economic opportunities—reduces the need for costly military involvement in the future.

7. Climate Change & Environmental Protection

Climate change already has a dire impact on countries all over the planet, and climate-related crises are forecast to continue worsening. The deadly and costly effects of climate change can only be combatted through a coordinated global effort. By supporting sustainable development abroad, the U.S. also addresses crises locally, such as rising sea levels, destructive storms and fires, and increased migration pressures.

While some critics argue that resources for foreign aid should be spent domestically, the reality is that the budget set aside for aid programs makes up a small fraction of total U.S. spending (less than 1% of the federal budget). Despite its relatively low cost, the impact from these initiatives can be significant in bolstering humanitarian progress, stabilizing regions of unrest, providing economic growth, and preventing climate and health crises—all of which ultimately benefit the U.S.