- The Trump administration officially shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) after an appellate court overturned a lower court’s ruling. Secretary of State Marco Rubio cited inefficiency and fiscal irresponsibility as reasons for the closure.
- The State Department will assume most of USAID’s functions, with the administration aiming to focus foreign assistance programs on benefiting American citizens.
- Opponents argue the closure weakens U.S. relationships with foreign allies. Meanwhile, the administration highlighted alleged wasteful spending on projects like diversity initiatives in Serbia and a DEI musical in Ireland.
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The State Department has officially closed the U.S. Agency for International Development after the Trump administration received a favorable ruling on the matter.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that Trump ended a “misguided and fiscally irresponsible” era.
“Foreign assistance done right can advance our national interests, protect our borders, and strengthen our partnerships with key allies. Unfortunately, USAID strayed from its original mission long ago. As a result, the gains were too few and the costs were too high,” he said in a statement.
Rubio said the administration plans to realign foreign assistance programs to focus on what best benefits American citizens. According to an internal memo obtained by ABC News, the agency’s director said the State Department would assume most of USAID’s responsibilities.
Opponents of the move have said doing so would weaken America’s relationship with foreign countries that relied on funding for projects that furthered democracy and Western values.
The Department of Government Efficiency prioritized shutting down USAID, but a district judge blocked the administration from doing so. On Friday, an appellate court overruled the lower court’s ruling. The official closure could spur more challenges.
Claims of waste
The White House in February claimed that USAID was responsible for funneling “massive sums of money to the ridiculous — and, in many cases, malicious — pet projects of entrenched bureaucrats, with next-to-no oversight.”
Some of the programs the administration highlighted include $1.5 million to “advance diversity equity and inclusion in Serbia’s workplaces and business communities,” $70,000 for production of a “DEI musical” in Ireland, and millions of dollars to EcoHealth Alliance. The nonprofit was allegedly involved in research at the Wuhan lab, now thought to be the most likely source of the COVID-19 outbreak.
