President Trump's dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development is already having effects in the Pacific. People working on more than 100 projects in the region are dealing with an uncertain future.
While Pacific analysts say overall the region will not be heavily affected by the withdrawal, hundreds of people working on USAID projects in the region say their lives and communities have already been affected.
According to the Lowy Institute, an Australian think tank, the U.S. is the fifth-biggest funder in the Pacific behind Australia, China, Japan and New Zealand.
USAID funds initiatives in areas including health and economic development. It also provides grants to local organizations to build resilience against the climate crisis and disasters.
The Lowy Institute says the U.S. spent $3.4 billion in the Pacific Islands between 2008 and 2024.
The Guardian reports the U.S. pledged $600 million in 2022 to strengthen its involvement in the Pacific, including opening embassies in Tonga and Kiribati as well as appointing a U.S. envoy to the Pacific Islands Forum.
People involved in the programs on the Pacific side say the funds have yet to fully reach the islands.
