US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced a drastic cut – 83% – of all USAID programs after a six-week review.
Rubio, making the announcement on X on Monday morning, said the cut consists of 5,200 contracts, and the remaining, approximately 1,000 projects, are to be administered by the State Department directly.
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Rubio did not specify the nature of the projects that would be slashed.
“The 5,200 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,” Rubio said.
“In consultation with Congress, we intend for the remaining 18% of programs we are keeping (approximately 1,000) to now be administered more effectively under the State Department,” he added.
After a 6 week review we are officially cancelling 83% of the programs at USAID.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) March 10, 2025
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.
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Rubio also thanked the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by billionaire Elon Musk, and the staff at the State Department “who worked very long hours to achieve” what Rubio called an “overdue and historic reform.”
Kyiv Post previously reported the effects on humanitarian projects in Ukraine due to the USAID suspension starting January this year. At the end of February, USAID reportedly halted all projects aiding Ukraine’s energy restoration efforts.
The State Department also reported plans to close a dozen consulates in Europe alongside a 20% staff cut.
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Rubio’s Monday announcement came two days after his reported clash on government expenditure at a Cabinet meeting.
The feud, first reported by The New York Times, is said to have taken place over Rubio’s management of the agency, where Musk accused Rubio of not firing staff in the State Department, while Rubio rebuffed by saying more than 1,000 employees had taken the buyout offer.
All observers reportedly stayed silent until US President Donald Trump interjected and told Rubio he did well.
On Sunday, Musk and Rubio also joined hands in belittling Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski over the rumored suspension of Starlink in Ukraine.
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