The recent announcement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio signifies the completion of the Trump administration’s six-week purge of programs at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). This historic shift away from US foreign aid and development has been executed by political appointees under President Donald Trump, who issued an executive order on January 20th directing a freeze in funding and review of all US aid and development work abroad. Critics argue that this move is illegal as it requires Congress’ approval to shut down congressionally-funded programs. Despite these concerns, Rubio has announced the elimination of approximately 83% of USAID’s programs, with only 18% remaining under the State Department for more effective administration. This decision comes amidst claims that much of foreign assistance was wasteful and advanced a liberal agenda. The Trump administration’s aggressive stance on foreign aid is likely to have significant implications not just in terms of US global influence but also its relationships with other countries, particularly those who rely heavily on American aid for development projects.
[Original Article](https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/secretary-state-rubio-purge-usaid-programs-complete-83-119628492) #sec. #state [Visit GhostAI](https://ghostai.pro/)
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