Samaritan's Purse Turns Down $300 Million in Federal Aid Funding
The Trump administration announced on August 10 that it would direct $2 billion in humanitarian aid through faith-based organizations, with a consortium of U.S. Christian groups overseeing $1.4 billion of it, including $850 million over five years for health services through a World Vision-led initiative, $538 million for disaster response and food and water assistance, and $570 million for faith-based hospitals and clinics. Samaritan's Purse, Compassion International, World Relief, Catholic Relief Services, and several other Christian relief groups were named as lead organizations.
On August 28, Samaritan's Purse announced it was withdrawing from its own $300 million, two-year disaster response award. "While we deeply appreciate the confidence that the State Department has placed in Samaritan's Purse, after prayer and discussion, we have withdrawn," CEO Franklin Graham said, adding that the organization has "always relied on God, not government, for funding." The announcement comes after the broader Christian relief sector absorbed heavy losses from earlier USAID funding cuts, including a reported $170 million shortfall at World Vision.
