New Echelon Insights Survey Commissioned by Rockefeller Foundation: Most Americans Back Foreign Aid a Year After USAID's End
The survey found that a majority of Americans (54%) have a favorable view of U.S. foreign aid, and despite differing levels of support across the political spectrum, overwhelming majorities support specific types of foreign aid work when described more specifically like humanitarian relief (90%), preventing disease outbreaks (90%), and peacekeeping and conflict resolution (78%). A significant majority of Americans (81%) favor strengthening U.S. foreign aid programs with stricter safeguards over eliminating them entirely.
"Our country's global leadership was built on the American people's conviction that building a safer, healthier, and more stable world is an investment in our own security and prosperity," said Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation. "Despite recent decisions by leaders around the world, Americans of all political persuasions have remained consistent in supporting effective, results-driven work to prevent diseases, end conflicts, and provide lifesaving food and medicine to the suffering. This data should encourage all of us to commit to a modern, accountable approach to foreign aid that can deliver real results for the world's vulnerable in the face of 21st century challenges."
Key Findings:
The Rockefeller Foundation, in association with its affiliated public charity, RF Catalytic Capital, commissioned U.S.-based Echelon Insights to conduct the survey to establish a baseline of public attitudes toward specific foreign aid programs, identify areas of shared alignment, and measure how Americans weigh the practical outcomes of U.S. engagement abroad. The comprehensive sample comprised 2,000 adults surveyed from June 12-16, 2026 across all 50 states, balanced across party, region, age, gender, and race/ethnicity.
"Americans who are most aligned with President Trump support aid that is accountable, rooted in U.S. interests, and focused on concrete humanitarian outcomes, from preventing disease to responding to disasters to saving lives in moments of crisis," said Patrick Ruffini, founding partner at Echelon Insights. "The data show a path forward for rebuilding foreign aid programs with strong support across party lines."
Beyond the clear humanitarian mandate, the survey underscores that while there are differences in perspectives across the political spectrum, Americans view international assistance as a tangible driver of domestic security, economic growth, and global stability, and key themes emerged:
"This data is a direct rebuttal to anyone who claims Americans have lost their appetite for the world. Americans never stopped being generous; Washington just stopped delivering on it," said Dr. John A. Gans, former Chief Speechwriter at the Pentagon, author of White House Warriors, and current Senior Vice President and project lead at The Rockefeller Foundation. "250 years after America's revolution and 1 year after USAID's razing, a majority of Americans don't just want to ensure federal funding to feed the hungry, cure the sick, and respond to crisis around the world—they see good reason to increase it. The lesson for Washington is clear: don't doubt the generosity of Americans; deliver on it."
An American Perspective on Foreign Aid is the latest research to be commissioned by The Rockefeller Foundation's Build the Shared Future Initiative, through which the 113-year-old philanthropic organization aims to inspire and inform global cooperation and international development work that matches the challenges of the 21st century, including efforts to align with governments around the world to identify country-led solutions to maximize every dollar of remaining aid and to stimulate new investments.
About The Rockefeller Foundation
Investing $30 billion over the last 113 years to promote the well-being of humanity, The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on unlikely partnerships and innovative solutions that deliver measurable results for people in the United States and around the world. We leverage scientific breakthroughs, artificial intelligence, and new technologies to make big bets across energy, food, health, and finance with our partners and our affiliated public charity, RFCC. For more information, follow us on LinkedIn @the-rockefeller-foundation, X @RockefellerFdn, Instagram @rockefellerfdn, and YouTube @RockefellerFdn, and sign up for our newsletter at www.rockefellerfoundation.org/subscribe.