Rubio Leads Massive Overhaul of USAID, Slashing 83% of Programs to Refocus on U.S. Interests

Senator Marco Rubio, working closely with President Trump and adviser Elon Musk, is spearheading the largest reform of America’s foreign aid system in decades. With 83% of USAID programs now eliminated, the administration is sending a clear message: no more blank checks for corrupt regimes or woke global projects.

Rubio Slams USAID’s Misuse of Billions

USAID, once tasked with promoting freedom and development abroad, has ballooned into a $40 billion juggernaut funding projects in 130 countries—many with questionable alignment to American values or interests. That era is now over.

Rubio stated bluntly, “USAID has strayed far from its original mission. Billions of dollars were being funneled into initiatives that have nothing to do with advancing America’s strategic objectives.”

The overhaul began with President Trump’s 90-day freeze on foreign aid back in January. Now, most of those programs—especially those riddled with waste, fraud, or left-wing ideology—are being permanently shut down.

Musk and Trump Call Out Corruption and Radicalism

The reform effort has been championed by Elon Musk, head of the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), who’s taken a blowtorch to bureaucracy. Musk claimed that only 10% of USAID’s funding actually made it to the people it was meant to help, citing bloated contracts and leftist contractors pocketing the rest.

President Trump didn’t hold back either:

“USAID was run by a bunch of radical lunatics. We’re not going to let taxpayer dollars be used to push gender ideology and global socialism.”

Together, Trump, Rubio, and Musk have united to drain the foreign aid swamp, cutting off the gravy train for partisan nonprofits and corrupt foreign governments.

The Fallout—and the Future

The result?

  • 5,600 USAID employees placed on administrative leave
  • Over 90% of agency contracts terminated
  • Roughly $60 billion in global aid halted overnight

Only 18% of the original programs—those aligned with countering Chinese and Russian influence or advancing national security—will continue under direct State Department control.

Democrats are fuming, calling the shutdown illegal without congressional approval. Several lawsuits have already been filed, and overseas contractors are reportedly stranded without travel reimbursements or final paychecks.

But Rubio and the administration aren’t backing down.

Ending an Era of Globalism

Rubio declared the mission accomplished:

“This historic reform ends an era of waste, corruption, and misaligned priorities. From now on, U.S. aid will be strategic, focused, and in America’s interest.”

As the restructured foreign aid system takes shape, expect a tighter, more accountable model—one that puts American taxpayers and security first, not globalist pet projects.

Whether the left likes it or not, America’s foreign aid game just changed forever.

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