Most Americans support the US providing foreign aid to countries in need, a new survey has found. 

A study by the Washington-based think tank the Pew Research Centre found Americans’ support for foreign aid varies depending on its intended purpose. 

More than three-quarters say that aid should be given to developing countries for medicine and medical supplies (83 per cent) or food and clothing (78 per cent). 

Smaller majorities support aid for economic development (63 per cent) or for strengthening democracy (61 per cent) in other countries. 

Fewer Americans approve of aid supporting other countries’ militaries (39 per cent) or art and cultural activities (34 per cent). 

The findings come after the Trump Administration has effectively ended US foreign aid and dismantled the USAID agency. Before the move, the US contributed about 340 per cent of all humanitarian funding. 

A report in the medical journal The Lancet says the Trump Administration’s move to cut most of the US’ funding towards foreign humanitarian aid could cause more than 14 million additional deaths by 2030, a third of them children. 

The Pew study also found Americans believe the US shod be active in world affairs. 

“Just under half of Americans (47 per cent) believe it is best for the future of the country to be active in world affairs. A slightly larger share (52 per cent) say the US should pay less attention to problems overseas and concentrate on domestic issues,” the study said. 

There has been an increase in the share saying it’s best for the country to be active in world affairs since 2024, when 42 per cent of Americans held this view. 

“Most Americans (64 per cent) say that when dealing with major international issues, the US should take into account the interests of other countries, even if it means making compromises. About a third (34 per cent) say the US should follow its own interests, even when other countries strongly disagree,” the study said. 

“The share favouring international compromise has increased significantly since 2023, when 59 per cent of Americans held this opinion.” 

A large majority of Democrats (83 per cent) say the US should take other countries’ interests into account when handling major international issues. This includes 76 per cent of moderate or conservative Democrats and 91 per cent of liberal Democrats. 

Republicans are more split. Roughly half (52 per cent) say the US should follow its own interests, even when other countries strongly disagree. This share rises to 58 per cent among conservative Republicans. 

Opinions about foreign aid vary widely by party. Democrats are more supportive than Republicans of every type of foreign aid we asked about. 

The partisan gap is largest on aid for art and cultural activities in other countries. A 54 per cent majority of Democrats say the US should give this kind of assistance, compared with 15 per cent of Republicans.  

Democrats are also at least 30 per centage points more likely than Republicans to approve of aid that supports economic development and strengthens democracy. 

And though partisan gaps still appear, majorities of both Democrats and Republicans say the US should give medicine and medical supplies as well as food and clothing to developing countries. 

Older Americans are generally more supportive of giving foreign aid for various reasons. Those ages 50 and older are about 8 points more likely than adults under 50 to say the US should provide aid for medicine and medical supplies, food and clothing, strengthening democracy, and military support. 

But the pattern reverses when it comes to aid for art and cultural activities. Adults under 50 are 10 points more likely than their older counterparts to say the US should give this type of assistance (39 per cent vs 29 per cent). 

Read the full report: International engagement and support for foreign aid | Pew Research Center