Rubio Reveals 83 Percent of USAID Contracts Were Cancelled Under Trump | Donald Trump News

The Trump administration has targeted USAID as part of its efforts to cut government spending and eliminate “waste.”

The United States has canceled 83 percent of all programs at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) following a six-week review, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“The 5,200 contracts that are now canceled spent tens of billions of dollars in ways that did not serve, (and in some cases even harmed), the core national interests of the United States,” Rubio wrote in a post on the social media platform X.

Rubio did not specify which exact programs were being canceled and which would be allowed to continue.

However, he added that the remaining approximately 1,000 programs would be administered “more effectively” under the State Department and in consultation with Congress.

The top US diplomat also thanked the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — an advisory body headed by billionaire Elon Musk — for its role in achieving “this overdue and historic reform.”

A few hours later, Musk responded: “Tough, but necessary. Good working with you. The important parts of USAID should always have been with Dept of State.”

Musk, with the support of President Donald Trump, has led a broad campaign of layoffs and downsizing within the federal government, arguing it was necessary to combat “waste” and “fraud.”

The New York Times reported last week that there had been visible tension between Musk and Rubio at a recent cabinet meeting over proposed cuts to the State Department.

USAID in Turmoil?

According to its official website, USAID is the “principal US agency to extend assistance to countries recovering from disaster, trying to escape poverty, and engaging in democratic reforms.”

But when Trump returned to office for a second term on January 20, he immediately ordered a 90-day pause on foreign aid, pending a review of whether the country’s aid programs align with his “America First” foreign policy.

This order, and subsequent stop-work orders, threw USAID into turmoil, halting the agency’s operations worldwide, jeopardizing the delivery of life-saving food and medical aid, and creating chaos in global humanitarian relief efforts.

USAID previously employed more than 10,000 workers, but in late February, 1,600 people were laid off, and 4,200 were placed on leave.

The majority of those put on leave are not expected to be reinstated. Sources told Reuters on February 6 that the Trump administration hoped to reduce the staff to fewer than 300.

Last week, hundreds of American diplomats at the State Department and USAID signed a letter condemning the planned cuts.

“The decision to freeze and terminate foreign aid contracts and assistance awards without any meaningful review jeopardizes our partnerships with key allies, erodes trust, and creates openings for adversaries to expand their influence,” the letter stated, a copy of which was seen by Reuters.

US Senator Bernie Sanders also criticized the dismantling of USAID last week, saying it would lead “to millions of preventable deaths.”

Before the aid freeze, the US was the largest distributor of foreign assistance in the world, and USAID was its primary mechanism for disbursing those funds.

In 2023, the US provided $72 billion in assistance worldwide, supporting initiatives ranging from women’s health in conflict zones to clean water access, HIV/AIDS treatments, energy security, and anti-corruption efforts.

In 2024, that amounted to 42 percent of all humanitarian aid tracked by the United Nations.