U.S. Foreign Aid in 2024: Ukraine Top Beneficiary Amid Global Crises. In 2024, the United States provided significant foreign aid through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), with Ukraine emerging as the top beneficiary. The country received $6.1 billion in assistance, reflecting continued U.S. support amid the ongoing conflict following Russia’s invasion. Since the onset of the war, Ukraine has received over $32.5 billion in foreign assistance from the U.S. through USAID, demonstrating the country’s central role in U.S. foreign aid efforts.
Following Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was the second-largest recipient of aid, receiving $1.3 billion due to escalating violence and widespread poverty. DRC continues to face significant challenges, including deadly violence, which has prompted international intervention and support. Jordan and Ethiopia also received substantial aid in 2024, with both nations facing political instability and humanitarian crises.
Other countries in need of urgent assistance, such as the West Bank and Gaza, Sudan, Nigeria, Yemen, Afghanistan, and South Sudan, were also among the top 10 recipients. The U.S. provided nearly $1 billion in humanitarian assistance to the West Bank and Gaza, where the ongoing war has resulted in the loss of over 46,000 lives. This funding went towards food aid, clean drinking water, and medical support for hospitals treating tens of thousands of patients each month.
However, the landscape of U.S. foreign aid saw a dramatic shift in early 2025, when the Trump administration imposed a 90-day freeze on USAID. The freeze, part of an initiative to ensure foreign aid aligns with America’s national interests and policies, disrupted aid operations globally. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) took extreme measures, including freezing bank accounts, shutting down offices, and dismissing thousands of aid workers worldwide. The freeze also halted up to $1 billion in payments for completed contracts. These actions have been contested in the courts, with the U.S. Supreme Court recently taking up the case.
Despite these challenges, the U.S. foreign aid budget remains focused on addressing critical needs in conflict-ridden and impoverished regions worldwide, with Ukraine leading the list of recipients in 2024.
