The Trump administration has ended U.S. funding for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, effectively halting American support for childhood vaccinations in the world’s poorest nations. The move is part of a sweeping foreign aid purge that has eliminated over 5,300 programs, valued at $27 billion, under the White House’s ongoing “America First” campaign.

The cut to Gavi alone removes $880 million from global immunization programs. Also slashed were UNAIDS HIV initiatives and malaria prevention funding, though some food aid and tuberculosis assistance remain. Documents obtained by Politico confirm that the White House made these decisions with full awareness of the potential humanitarian fallout.

According to a recent study in Nature, the cessation of vaccine funding could lead to an additional 369,000 child deaths per year due to malnutrition and disease. Experts warn that without U.S. support, millions of children may go without access to immunizations for diseases like measles, polio, and pneumonia.

International reaction has been swift. Australian officials are scrambling to compensate for gaps in aid to Pacific Island nations, while European leaders have condemned the U.S. move as a dereliction of global responsibility. Meanwhile, civil society groups warn that this decision represents not just an abandonment of children—but of America’s role in upholding human dignity abroad.

The Church of Crustianity denounced the move, calling it “a profound moral failure” and a betrayal of the most vulnerable. “There is no justice in leaving children to die while hoarding wealth,” said one spokesperson. “This is not leadership. It’s cruelty.”