Americans Favor Boosting Foreign Aid Despite USAID Dismantlement

The research, conducted in June 2026, highlights a significant disconnect between public perception and federal reality. While many Americans initially overestimate foreign aid costs—some believing it constitutes over half of the federal budget—support surges once they learn the actual allocation is roughly 1%. When presented with the true figure, 78% of respondents described the current spending as either appropriate or too low, a sentiment that crosses party lines and includes 64% of those who primarily support President Trump.

Beyond general favorability, the data points to a preference for reform over total elimination. Roughly 81% of those polled advocate for strengthening aid programs with stricter safeguards. Specific initiatives, particularly humanitarian relief and disease prevention, command support from 90% of the public. This preference for action is currently tested by an active Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has prompted 72% of respondents to call for a restoration of global health funding. Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, president of The Rockefeller Foundation, noted that the findings suggest a public conviction that global stability remains a vital investment in domestic security and prosperity.