Americans Back Restoring Foreign Aid to Combat Ebola Outbreak

The survey, conducted in June 2026, highlights a significant disconnect between current policy and public sentiment. Despite the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) closing its operations one year ago, 90% of respondents across the political spectrum favor funding programs to prevent disease outbreaks abroad. This preference remains the highest-testing area of foreign aid in the study, signaling that voters view global health security as a domestic priority rather than a partisan issue.

Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, president of The Rockefeller Foundation, emphasized that the current Ebola outbreak—the third-largest in history—serves as a reminder of the risks posed by under-preparedness. While the U.S. State Department has disputed claims that budget cuts hindered detection, public support for intervention remains robust. Even among those who primarily support President Trump, 52% favor restoring aid to contain the virus. Furthermore, when presented with expert projections that aid cuts could result in over 9 million preventable deaths by 2030, 70% of all Americans expressed support for increasing funding levels to address global malnutrition and disease.