Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the conclusion of a significant overhaul of U.S. foreign aid, transferring the remaining 18% of programs from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to the State Department. This overhaul, initiated by the Trump administration, aims to scale back foreign assistance deemed wasteful. The changes, which could decimate long-established humanitarian efforts, have provoked legal challenges and concern over abandoning traditional roles in promoting U.S. national security. Rubio's comments reflect a blend of gratitude for the efforts made and an alignment with the administration's controversial stance on foreign aid.
The dismantling of USAID that followed Trump's order upended decades of policy that humanitarian and development aid abroad advanced U.S. national security by stabilizing regions and economies, strengthening alliances and building goodwill.
Rubio made the announcement in a post on X, thanking DOGE and 'our hardworking staff who worked very long hours to achieve this overdue and historic reform' in foreign aid.
President Donald Trump on Jan. 20 issued an executive order directing a freeze of foreign assistance funding and a review of all of the tens of billions of dollars of U.S. aid and development work abroad.
Musk wrote of Rubio's announcement on the cuts, 'Tough, but necessary,' emphasizing the radical changes being enacted within the foreign aid structure.
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