Marco Rubio Cuts $60B+ in Waste from State Dept and USAID

Marco Rubio, as U.S. Secretary of State, has spearheaded an initiative to slash over $60 billion in what’s deemed wasteful spending from the State Department and USAID, aligning with the Trump administration’s broader aim to curb government inefficiency and prioritize American interests.

Within 90 days, Rubio reviewed 9,100 State Department grants worth $15.9 billion and 6,200 USAID awards valued at $58.2 billion, resulting in cuts of $4.4 billion (28%) from the State Department and $54 billion (92%) from USAID. This move is driven by an “America First” policy that ties foreign aid to national security and economic benefits rather than global charity, while targeting waste, fraud, and abuse. Elon Musk also reposted this, which you can see here.

However, critical programs like food aid, HIV, TB, and malaria treatments, and support for countries such as Lebanon, Haiti, Venezuela, and Cuba were retained, though implementation has faced hurdles due to USAID’s shuttered systems and staff furloughs.

Supporters, including some Republicans and X posts, hail it as a taxpayer victory, but hundreds of diplomats have dissented, arguing it undermines U.S. leadership and security, potentially benefiting China and Russia.

Rubio’s stance marks a shift from his earlier support for foreign aid as a security tool, reflecting alignment with Trump’s agenda. The long-term impact remains unclear, depending on how remaining programs are managed and Congress’s response.