Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sweeping cuts to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), citing Elon Musk’s research with the Department of Government Efficiency to expose the federal foreign aid service.
According to Rubio, a COS endorser, the Trump administration will slash 83% of USAID’s existing programs, many of which did not align with American interests. He announced that the remaining 18% will now “be administered more effectively under the State Department.”
“After a 6 week review we are officially cancelling 83% of the programs at USAID,” he revealed on Monday. “The 5200 contracts that are now cancelled 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.”
USAID, created by President John F. Kennedy to counter the international influence of the Soviet Union during the Cold War, “provides assistance to strategically important countries and countries in conflict” and “leads U.S. efforts to alleviate poverty, disease, and humanitarian need.” The agency faced criticism from the right after Musk revealed it was potentially wasting billions of dollars on “woke” projects.
In response to Rubio’s announcement, the Tesla president called the cuts “tough, but necessary.” The Secretary of State praised “DOGE and our hardworking staff who worked very long hours to achieve this overdue and historic reform.”
SEE ALSO: Breaking the bureaucratic stranglehold
This hasn’t been the first time the new administration has taken a sledgehammer to foreign aid. On Inauguration Day, Trump attempted to freeze nearly $2 billion in overseas assistance to ensure spending aligned with his priorities. Last week, the Supreme Court rebuffed his efforts, with Chief Justice John Roberts siding against the president.
“Does a single district-court judge who likely lacks jurisdiction have the unchecked power to compel the government of the United States to pay out (and probably lose forever) 2 billion taxpayer dollars?” conservative Justice Samuel Alito questioned in his dissent. “The answer to that question should be an emphatic ‘No,’ but a majority of this Court apparently thinks otherwise. I am stunned.”
In another dramatic move against what he calls the “foreign aid industry and bureaucracy,” Trump reduced USAID’s workforce from over 10,000 positions to less than 300, accusing the agency of being run by “radical lunatics.”
Even after all these reductions, Trump, Musk, and Rubio remain critical of foreign aid, continuing to advocate for fiscal responsibility, government cost-cutting, and an America-First foreign policy. However, as the early weeks of Trump’s presidency have shown, dismantling this massive bureaucracy will be no easy feat. Even as the administration labors to rein in the federal government, COS grassroots activists in all 50 states continue to push for an Article V convention to permanently end federal overreach and waste.
To support our application for an Article V convention to propose amendments limiting federal spending, power, and terms of office, sign the COS petition below and get involved today!
Marco Rubio announces sweeping cuts to USAID
Published in Blog on March 10, 2025 by Jakob Fay
