Donald Trump "will always put America first." On August 29, echoing one of his signature slogans, the White House budget office announced on X its plan to cut an additional $4.9 billion in international aid.

Constitutionally, this cut must be approved by Congress to take effect. However, the White House submitted its request so late that Congress may not have time to vote before the close of the current fiscal year on September 30, meaning the American budget cut could take effect without its approval.

The move by Trump (known as a pocket rescission), which has drawn the ire of the Democratic opposition in Congress, has not been used since the presidency of Jimmy Carter, who held office from 1977 to 1981. While the outcome remains uncertain, this latest proposed cut has alarmed international stakeholders. Of the $4.9 billion, $3.2 billion was to have been allocated to programs run by the United States Agency for International Development, which Trump officially shuttered on July 1.

Other potential collateral victims include United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations, which have come under harsh criticism from the Trump administration for their purported lack of effectiveness. If this American cut goes through, peacekeeping missions could lose nearly $840 million – about one-fifth of their 2025-2026 budget, set at $5.3 billion.

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