Rubio Cuts $60+ Billion In Waste From State Department, USAID

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has unveiled a comprehensive plan to reduce wasteful spending within the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), resulting in over $60 billion in savings. This initiative follows a 90-day review aimed at streamlining foreign assistance programs and ensuring that taxpayer funds are utilized effectively.

Key Findings from the Review:

• State Department Grants: An evaluation of more than 9,100 grants, totaling approximately $15.9 billion, led to the identification of over 4,100 grants (about 28% of the total grant value) for elimination, amounting to nearly $4.4 billion in savings.

• USAID Multi-Year Awards: A review of over 6,000 multi-year awards with more than $58 billion remaining in value resulted in the termination of nearly 5,800 awards, achieving a 92% reduction and saving approximately $54 billion.

Strategic Retentions:

Despite significant cuts, Secretary Rubio emphasized the preservation of programs vital to U.S. interests, including:

• Humanitarian Assistance: Continued support for food aid and life-saving medical treatments targeting HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria.

• Strategic Support: Ongoing assistance to nations such as Lebanon, Haiti, Venezuela, and Cuba, reflecting the U.S. commitment to global stability and humanitarian efforts.

Future Initiatives:

The State Department plans to collaborate closely with Congress to reform the delivery of foreign assistance, ensuring that all expenditures align with the objectives of making America “safer,” “stronger,” and “more prosperous.”

This decisive action underscores the administration’s dedication to fiscal responsibility and the strategic allocation of resources in foreign policy.