On July 1, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) ceased operations as an independent foreign aid agency. This was announced by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who called it the end of an “era of government inefficiency,” according to Forbes.
Rubio noted that the Trump administration’s review of thousands of programs and expenditures totaling more than $715 billion over a decade revealed that USAID did not meet efficiency standards.
“Every government employee must ensure that the programs they fund serve the interests of the United States,” he said.
Foreign aid programs that align with the administration’s policy will now be coordinated by the State Department, ensuring their transparency, strategic focus, and effectiveness.
“We are refocusing on trade instead of aid, on opportunity instead of dependency, and on investment instead of charity. On July 1, a new era of global partnership, peace, investment, and prosperity will begin for Americans and many countries,” Rubio added.
Recall that on January 20, 2025, on the day of his inauguration, US President Donald Trump froze USAID initiatives for 90 days. Politico reported that USAID could be stripped of its independence and transferred to the control of the State Department. And on February 3, Elon Musk, who headed the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), announced the start of the liquidation of the US Agency for International Development.