Rubio Keeping 1,000 USAID Programs, Slashing 5,200 Contracts
The canceled contracts ‘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.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the department will only keep 1,000 USAID programs and canceling 5,200 contracts.
Rubio wrote on X:
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.
In consultation with Congress, we intend for the remaining 18% of programs we are keeping (approximately 1000) to now be administered more effectively under the State Department.
Thank you to DOGE and our hardworking staff who worked very long hours to achieve this overdue and historic reform.
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.
In…
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) March 10, 2025
Interesting. I hope the State Department tells us which contracts it is keeping and how much they are worth.
Hmmmm. I'd like to see a list of the 1,000 programs you're keeping and the price tag. https://t.co/nkaREGO4Hp
— Brian Haner (aka Guitar Guy) (@GuitarGuyHaner) March 10, 2025
President Donald Trump froze USAID when he came into office. DOGE reviewed the contracts and found so much waste.
Rubio became acting director of USAID on February 3. He ordered all USAID overseas staff to return home.
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Comments
I hear the sound of freedom, responsibility, and accountability.
I’m pretty sure 2 of those 3 are unconstitutional.
Agreed.
This (DOGE) is one of the most promising developments I have ever seen in governance.
Better: Cancel 100% of those programs by abolishing the entirety of USAID.
It says that the State Dept. will manage the 1000 aid programs that remain, that means USAID is toast.
That would have to be done by Congress.
Executive Order 10973 was signed by Pres. John Kennedy in 1961. That EO created USAID, not congress.
Yup. Congress merely gave its assent to USAID’s existence by providing the funds for its operation. Just goes to show:
Congress allocates
The Executive spends
Two separate functions. Each working to limit spending even when one branch refuses, or is not inclined, to do so. A balanced set of checks on wasteful, profligate, and harmful spending.
The Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998, 22 U.S.C. 6501 established USAID formally, so yes its approved by congress
I hope the Dems continue the protests over this until the mid terms.
Maybe it would be wise to slow-walk some swamp-draining so that Trump and his candidates can have something big and juicy to take on the stump. Maybe wait to drop some major indictments just before the midterms. You know, like lawfare the way the Dems play, but with real charges for real crimes that affect the taxpayer.
Real crimes lol, you people are so silly.
It takes time to build a legal case, so they should be all over it now.
The savings such as this are greatly appreciated, but unless Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are reformed, they will represent little more than a drop in the proverbial bucket.
Once the corruption enabled by agencies like USAID is dried up, we hopefully will have a government that can more honestly address entitlement reform.
Don’t hold your breath. One has nothing to do with the other. Entitlement reform is a much larger, scarier animal hat requires political will and marketing savvy.
If actual waste can be identified, it shouldn’t be too difficult if waste can be cut without affecting benefits. Again, it would put the Dems in the position of defending waste, which isn’t a pretty picture for them, but they’ll do it because they think it will make them popular (and possibly successful in the midterms). It will not. People are on to them now. They are digging their own graves but think they’re preparing beds for a flower garden.
Hopefully, the State Department will have USAID projects listed on their website so we can see exactly what’s being kept. We have a right to full transparency.
At least until another far leftist hack in a robe arbitrarily decides that they aren’t ALLOWED to cut those contracts.