US officially cuts 83% of foreign aid programs

10 March 2025, 12:36

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has officially cancelled 83% of the country’s foreign aid contracts as the Trump administration continues to gut government spending.

Taking to Twitter on Monday, Rubio wrote: “The 5200 contracts that are now canceled 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.”

The secretary of state confirmed that his State Department would take control of the remaining 17 per cent of contracts.

The cuts come following a six-week review of all USAID programs launched after Donald Trump announced that all foreign aid would be axed under his administration.

Trump and his billionaire ally Elon Musk have made USAID a key target of their attempts to cut government spending and bureaucracy.

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“Thank you to DOGE and our hardworking staff who worked very long hours to achieve this overdue and historic reform,” Rubio added.

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced the closure of the USAID offices just days into Trump’s second term.

Staff at the US Agency for International Development were told to stay away from the agency’s Washington headquarters after right-wing billionaire Musk announced Donald Trump intended to axe the body.

Announcing USAID would be axed last month, Musk said: "It became apparent that its not an apple with a worm it in.

"What we have is just a ball of worms. You've got to basically get rid of the whole thing. It's beyond repair.

"We're shutting it down."

Musk went on to confirm he had spoken to President Trump about the plan, writing: "With regard to the USAID stuff, I went over [it] with him in detail, and he agreed that we should shut it down.

"I checked with him a few times [and] said, 'Are you sure?'" he added.