Rubio Seizes Control of USAID Amid Trump Administration Overhaul
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Monday that he has assumed the role of acting director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the government agency responsible for delivering humanitarian aid worldwide, Al Jazeera reports.
Speaking from El Salvador, Rubio described USAID as “completely unresponsive,” accusing its officials of “insubordination” for failing to adequately address the Trump administration’s questions about spending and priorities.
“In many cases, USAID is involved in programs that run counter to what we’re trying to do with our national strategy,” Rubio declared, adding that reform efforts have been ongoing for “20 or 30 years.”
Rubio’s announcement comes after Tesla CEO and Trump advisor Elon Musk labeled USAID “a criminal organization” and reportedly told President Trump the agency should be “shut down.” A senior White House official confirmed to Reuters that Trump is considering merging USAID with the State Department to “significantly reduce the size of the workforce for efficiency purposes and to ensure their spending is in line with the president’s agenda.” Musk, who heads the Trump-founded non-governmental panel, the Department of Government Efficiency, would oversee this streamlining effort.
President Trump echoed the sentiment, describing USAID as a “good concept” overtaken by “radical left lunatics.”
The takeover occurs amidst a broad freeze on foreign aid under the Trump administration, intended to overhaul US assistance abroad. Billions of dollars in aid have been frozen pending a 90-day review, leading to thousands of contractor layoffs and the pausing of vital services across the globe. While some programs have received waivers, humanitarian groups are warning of dire consequences.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) cautioned on Sunday that the “rapid dismantling” of the US humanitarian aid system “will cause an unmitigated humanitarian disaster affecting millions of the world’s most vulnerable people.” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric reiterated on Monday that the freeze would have an “immediate impact on life-saving activities.” The US accounted for 42% of all humanitarian funding tracked by the UN last year, with USAID channeling over 60% of the estimated $68 billion in foreign assistance issued by the US in 2023.
The Trump administration’s control over USAID remains unclear. The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 mandated the creation of an agency to oversee foreign humanitarian aid, leading to the formation of USAID during the Cold War as a countermeasure to Russian influence. Supporters argue USAID continues to serve this purpose in the 21st century, balancing growing Chinese influence.
Democrats are pushing back against the potential dismantling of the agency, arguing that the president lacks the authority to dissolve what they maintain is an autonomous body. Representative Don Beyer of Virginia led an impromptu protest in Washington, DC, accusing Musk of leading an effort to “ransack a critical agency of the US government” and harass its employees.
USAID headquarters in Washington, DC, was closed to employees on Monday. US media outlets reported over the weekend that two top USAID officials were placed on administrative leave for allegedly trying to block individuals from the Department of Government Efficiency from accessing secure areas within the building.
Several Democratic Senators issued a letter warning that any restructuring of USAID, including a merger with the State Department, must be “previewed, discussed, and approved by Congress.” The senators also expressed “deep concerns about the protection and safeguarding of matters related to US national security” regarding unauthorized access to USAID headquarters.
