The United States is officially closing 83% of USAID programs, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on March 10.
Points of attention
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the official closure of 83% of USAID programs, citing inefficiency and harm to the States.
- Nearly 5,200 contracts worth 'tens of billions of dollars' will be canceled due to lack of benefit to the country.
- The remaining USAID programs will be transferred to the Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk.
US closes 83% of USAID programs
Rubio announced the final monitoring of the work of the USAID agency.
"Tens of billions of dollars" were spent on the 5,200 contracts that are now being canceled — this allegedly did not benefit and harmed the States.
Marco Rubio
US Secretary of State
The remaining USAID programs that are not being canceled will be transferred to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is headed by billionaire Elon Musk.
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.
In…
USAID is the world's largest donor. In fiscal year 2023, the United States provided $72 billion in assistance worldwide.
The agency was founded in 1961 under President John F. Kennedy. It allocates billions of dollars each year to combat poverty, treat disease, and respond to famine and natural disasters, as well as to promote democracy and development by supporting non-governmental organizations, independent media, and social initiatives.
On January 20, inauguration day, US President Donald Trump froze USAID initiatives for 90 days. After that, the Agency's employees began to be placed on administrative leave without pay.
