The Trump administration is seeking more than $1.4 billion in emergency funding to combat the rapidly expanding Ebola outbreak in Africa, marking one of Washington's most significant health-related spending initiatives on the continent since it began scaling back foreign assistance programs.
The funding request was submitted to Congress on Wednesday as part of a broader supplemental spending package aimed at containing the outbreak and preventing the virus from spreading beyond Africa.
The proposal comes after months of criticism over U.S. cuts to international aid programs, including support for public health initiatives in Africa.
While the White House has framed the latest funding request primarily as a national security measure to protect Americans from a worsening outbreak, the move highlights how global health emergencies can force renewed engagement with health systems abroad.
According to a Reuters exclusive, the White House is seeking $800 million for humanitarian crisis response efforts linked to the outbreak.
