Secretary Rubio Announces Cut To USAID

Following an extensive review by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the Trump administration has finalized its strategy for restructuring the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). On Monday morning, Marco Rubio, who serves as both Secretary of State and acting USAID administrator, shared a major update via X. "After a 6 week review, we are officially cancelling 83% of the programs at USAID," he announced. Rubio elaborated that the 5,200 terminated contracts had misdirected tens of billions of dollars in ways that failed to support—and sometimes even undermined—the core national interests of the United States. Looking ahead, he outlined that the remaining 18% of programs, roughly 1,000, will be managed more effectively under the State Department’s oversight, in coordination with Congress. He also expressed appreciation to the DOGE and State Department teams for their relentless efforts in driving this "overdue and historic reform."

The decision has sparked varied reactions. Over recent weeks, Democrats have voiced alarm over the administration’s scrutiny of USAID, often downplaying DOGE’s discoveries of waste, fraud, and abuse within the agency. Their concerns persist despite polls showing 76% of Americans favor DOGE’s mission to curb inefficient government spending. Earlier actions in February saw non-essential USAID staff worldwide placed on leave, with some dismissed or shifted to administrative leave during the review. Employees were also informed that approximately 1,600 positions would be cut.

DOGE’s candid updates on X have rallied public support for slashing these programs, putting pressure on lawmakers to respond. A Breitbart report highlighted that in fiscal year 2023, USAID disbursed $72 billion globally, funding efforts like "gender-affirming care" in Guatemala, anti-troll training for Kazakhstanis, circumcisions in Mozambique, and multiple LGBTQI+ initiatives. Rubio’s announcement drew enthusiastic praise from advocates of the overhaul. With Elon Musk leading DOGE, the department is now partnering with Congress to convert these findings into tangible savings for American taxpayers.