Rubio Announces That 83% of USAID Programs Have Been Cut

Trump’s Secretary of State declares the purge complete as the administration slashes foreign aid and narrows U.S. development priorities.

Mar 10, 2025

The Trump administration has cut 83% of USAID’s global programs, Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed on Monday. The cuts represent one of the largest overhauls of U.S. foreign aid since USAID’s founding more than 60 years ago.

USAID has historically overseen American assistance to support public health, humanitarian aid, and economic development. Under the Trump administration’s new direction, that role has been dramatically scaled back.

The Administration’s Rationale

Rubio and the Trump administration argue that USAID had grown too large and was funding programs that no longer aligned with U.S. strategic interests.

Rubio further outlined the administration’s reasoning in a post on X, stating:

“After a 6 week review we are officially cancelling 83% of the programs at USAID. 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.”

The Trump administration argues that U.S. foreign aid should directly advance American strategic and economic priorities. Officials say the remaining programs—about 18% of USAID’s previous work—will be managed under the State Department with closer oversight. (CNN)

What Programs Are Left?

Overall, the Trump administration has provided few details on which specific programs were spared, and the rapid pace of contract terminations led some to question whether program-by-program reviews had even taken place. (AP)

While Rubio and others in the administration promised that certain humanitarian programs would be spared, aid groups say even some life-saving efforts received termination notices. This includes emergency nutritional support for starving children and drinking water programs serving sprawling camps for families displaced by war in Sudan. (The Guardian)

A Major Shift in U.S. Foreign Aid

The cuts mark a major shift in how the U.S. approaches development assistance. While the administration says the focus is on efficiency and national interest, critics warn the cuts could weaken America’s influence and harm vulnerable populations worldwide.

A former USAID official cautioned that these reductions could lead to “preventable death, destabilization, and threats to national security on a massive scale.” (The Hill)

What do you think?

Is this a necessary realignment of U.S. foreign aid—or a dangerous retreat from America’s global leadership? Share your thoughts in the comments below.