Trump's aid cuts remain partially restored after Congress action

Congress compelled the White House to release a $51.4bn foreign aid package that included nearly $6bn for the global HIV response, but analysts say the 2026 global health budget remains roughly 6% lower than the previous year.

President Trump signed a $51.4 billion foreign aid bill this month that included nearly $6 billion earmarked for the global HIV response. Congress had rejected deeper proposed cuts and required the White House to release funds that underpin treatment and prevention programmes. Analysts say the restored funding does not fully return programmes to prior levels, and the administration has altered how funds are delivered. That shift has disrupted the contracting systems that previously connected US budgets to on-the-ground services. Key facts: - The spending bill signed into law totals $51.4 billion and includes nearly $6 billion for the global HIV response. - The Kaiser Family Foundation reports the 2026 global health budget pledged by the US is about 6% lower than the previous year. - The Trump administration froze and restructured many awards and has moved toward direct government-to-government agreements rather than funding prior implementing partners. - Aid groups report clinics are keeping existing HIV patients on treatment but outreach and prevention work has fallen; the International Rescue Committee says about 60% of its US-funded health facilities lost critical support, affecting more than 6.3 million people, and estimates around two million people have already lost services. Summary: Congressian action restored much of the funding that had been withheld, but it did not rebuild the earlier delivery system or fully restore budget levels. Programmes face uncertainty as the administration presses for bilateral, conditional agreements and some implementing channels remain closed. Undetermined at this time.