President Barack Obama has announced that the U.S. will provide $300 million in additional humanitarian assistance to help people affected by the ongoing conflict in Syria.
The announcement came during Obama's meeting with G-8 leaders in Northern Ireland, which has largely focused on how to address the civil war between rebels and forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
A statement from the White House said the U.S. remains the single-largest contributor of humanitarian assistance for the Syrian people, with the latest contribution bringing the total to nearly $815 million.
The White House said the additional humanitarian aid will increase food aid, medical care, clean water, and provide shelter and other relief supplies for families suffering in Syria and neighboring countries.
The latest round of humanitarian aid includes $128 million for people inside Syria, with the remainder divided among refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Turkey, and Egypt.
The news of additional humanitarian aid comes on the heels of last Friday's news that the Obama administration will supply the Syrian rebels with military assistance in response to the confirmation of the Assad regime's use of chemical weapons.
In an interview with Charlie Rose of PBS that aired Monday night, Obama sought to defend his handling of the situation in Syria.
"Unless you've been involved in those conversations, then it's kind of hard for you to understand that the complexity of the situation and how we have to not rush into one more war in the Middle East," Obama said in response to criticism that he should have acted sooner.
"The fact of the matter is, is that we've got serious interests there, and not only humanitarian interests, we can't have the situation of ongoing chaos in a major country that borders a country like Jordan which in turn borders Israel," he added. "And we have a legitimate need to be engaged and to be involved."
Obama's decision to provide the rebels with military assistances has put him at odds with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has accused the rebels of engaging in cannibalism.
However, Putin has called for an end to the violence in the country and signed a G-8 statement calling for the establishment of a "transitional government" in Syria.
Results of a Gallup poll released Monday indicated that a majority of Americans also disapprove of the Obama administration's decision to send direct military aid to the Syrian rebels.
The poll found that 54 percent of Americans disapprove of the decision to provide military aid to the rebels, while 37 percent approve.
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
Political News
June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.