Trump Admin. Axes $60 Billion in Foreign Aid: A Shocking Revelation!

2025-02-27 08:03:24.928

The Trump administration announced the elimination of more than 90% of the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) foreign aid contracts, amounting to $60 billion in overall U.S. assistance worldwide. This significantly reduces U.S. development and humanitarian aid abroad. The cuts, detailed in an internal memo and court filings, leave few USAID projects remaining. The Supreme Court temporarily blocked a lower court order requiring the administration to release billions in frozen foreign aid. The administration claims the cuts address "waste stemming from decades of institutional drift" and aim to "use taxpayer dollars wisely to advance American interests." However, critics, including Sen. Chris Murphy, argue the move circumvents Congress and courts. The cuts affect numerous programs, including those credited with saving millions of lives in Africa through HIV/AIDS treatment and Ebola containment. Nonprofits and contractors describe rushed contract terminations without proper review. The administration claims to be processing millions in back payments, but the bulk of the funds remain frozen pending Supreme Court review. The State Department said Secretary Marco Rubio reviewed the terminations. Specifically, 5,800 of 6,200 multiyear USAID contract awards ($54 billion) and 4,100 of 9,100 State Department grants ($4.4 billion) were eliminated. A coalition of businesses, NGOs, and former officials expressed alarm over the lack of transparency and potential consequences for counterterrorism, global health, food security, and international competition.