The Trump administration is canceling 83% of programs under the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), according to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Rubio announced the decision, as reported by NDTV, citing France Presse.
The report states that after taking office in January this year, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order temporarily suspending all U.S. foreign aid. The goal was to review spending abroad and eliminate programs inconsistent with the “America First” policy.
After a six-week review, Rubio stated, “We are officially canceling 83% of USAID’s programs.”
He added, “The 5,200 contracts now being canceled involved billions of dollars over decades, many of which were against or detrimental to America’s core national interests.”
USAID provides humanitarian aid through various programs worldwide, particularly focusing on health and emergency support in nearly 120 countries. The U.S. Department of State primarily oversees the agency.
On February 26, the State Department announced a 92% budget cut for USAID and the cancellation of 5,800 grants.
Rubio expressed special gratitude to the U.S. Government Efficiency Department (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, for its efforts in reducing government spending.
President Trump and his administration have long argued that foreign aid is wasteful and does not serve U.S. interests.
However, human rights organizations have warned that this aid helps maintain global stability and public health, and canceling it could endanger vulnerable populations.
Despite these warnings, the Trump administration has not reversed its decision.
