Trump’s Misguided War Against Effective Altruism

The US Department of “War” has recently begun attacking effective altruism, a movement that aims to save lives, reduce suffering, and prevent future catastrophes. Why would the Trump administration, which with great fanfare created a Department of Government Efficiency, now oppose being effective? MELBOURNE—“Americanism, not effective altruism.” That’s a new slogan launched on X by the US Department of “War,” the words running across an image of President Donald Trump saluting. Above the image, the post reads: “The United States will continue to be AI DOMINANT!” I initially thought it must be satire. Doesn’t the Defense Department have more important things to do than oppose a movement that encourages people to help others as effectively as possible? How could an administration that created a Department of Government Efficiency with great fanfare now oppose being effective? It’s less than 20 years since I spoke with the small group of students at the University of Oxford who started effective altruism (EA). Influenced by my 1972 article, “Famine, Affluence, and Morality,” they were working together to put into practice what I had advocated, adding an emphasis on getting the best value for every pound or dollar they could donate. They discovered that some charities are hundreds of times more effective than others, and posted their research online so that everyone could use it. Giving What We Can, the first EA organization, asked its supporters to pledge to donate at least 10% of their income to highly effective charities. GiveWell says that donors have directed more than $2.6 billion to their recommended organizations, and estimates that these donations will save more than 340,000 lives. I founded The Life You Can Save, which, to date, has raised more than $140 million for highly effective charities working in health care, education, and overcoming poverty. Continue Reading