WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Monday that the Trump administration has completed a significant overhaul of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). He stated that 18% of the remaining aid and development programs would now fall under the State Department’s management.
Rubio shared this update on social media, reflecting on a remarkable shift in American foreign aid policy. This change was led by appointees of former President Trump, along with teams under Elon Musk aimed at increasing government efficiency.
In his post, Rubio expressed gratitude for those involved in this reform, which he described as overdue. He reiterated Trump’s executive order from January 20 that halted foreign assistance funding and initiated a review of U.S. aid programs. Trump had criticized many foreign assistance initiatives as wasteful and claimed they often supported liberal agendas.
According to Rubio, this review resulted in the planned elimination of approximately 5,200 out of 6,200 USAID programs. He claimed that these programs spent billions of dollars without serving America’s core national interests, and in some cases, even caused harm.
Rubio indicated that the remaining 18% of programs would be better managed by the State Department, but he faced criticism from Democrats and others who argue that such decisions should require Congress’s approval.
The State Department has mentioned it is fighting multiple lawsuits regarding the rapid USAID shutdown, previously stating that they were cutting more than 90% of its programs. However, Rubio’s figures were lower, and he did not clarify what specific programs would remain or how they would be run.
The changes initiated by Trump have dramatically shifted decades of policy, which traditionally viewed humanitarian aid as a way to boost U.S. security by promoting stability and goodwill abroad. Following Trump’s order, staff at USAID faced forced leaves or firings, while many aid projects — from disease control to famine relief — ground to a halt.
This upheaval affected contractors and organizations that partnered with USAID, resulting in massive layoffs across various sectors in the U.S. and overseas. Some nonprofit groups and businesses have filed lawsuits claiming that the abrupt terminations of contracts were illegal and disrupted even the programs that Rubio intended to keep.
As the shutdown continues, many former USAID employees and contractors are left stranded overseas, waiting for reimbursements and assistance to return home.
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