The Department of State will move to eliminate the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), cut thousands of jobs, and absorb the remaining job functions of USAID, according to several reports.
In a memo obtained by Fox News, it was revealed that the Department of State under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will “take on USAID’s programs as part of a merger that aims to streamline operations to deliver foreign assistance.”
As part of the merger, the Department of State is reportedly moving to “retire” USAID as an agency and is looking to terminate more than 4,000 USAID employees, the memo added.
A “senior official” from the Department of State confirmed to the outlet that “more than 4,650 USAID personnel will be cut from USAID,” which includes the “more than 1,500” employees who have already had their jobs terminated.
“This transfer will significantly enhance efficiency, accountability, uniformity, and strategic impact in delivering foreign assistance programs — allowing our nation and President to speak with one voice in foreign affairs,” the memo said, according to ABC News.
In a statement, Rubio revealed that the Department of State was “reorienting” its “foreign assistance programs to align direct” with what was best for the United States and Americans, according to the outlet.
“Thanks to President Trump, this misguided and fiscally irresponsible era is now over,” Rubio said. “We are reorienting our foreign assistance programs to align directly with what is best for the United States and our citizens.”
As Breitbart News previously reported, in February, USAID staffers were instructed to stay home and not come into the office, after Elon Musk revealed that President Donald Trump agreed that the agency should be shuttered:
The shutdown came in the wake of Musk, who’s leading a civilian review of the federal government with the Republican president’s agreement, revealing early Monday he had spoken with Trump about the six-decade agency and “he agreed we should shut it down.”
Musk, Trump and some Republican lawmaker have targeted USAID, which oversees humanitarian, development and security programs in some 120 countries, accusing it of losing its way.
Breitbart News has also previously reported that Trump placed a “90 day hold on all USAID’s foreign aid.” As a result of this freeze, roughly $268 million was cut “from media outlets in more than 30 countries.”
President Donald Trump put a 90 day hold on all USAID’s foreign aid this week, which subsequently cut $268 million from media outlets in more than 30 countries, according to the agency’s 2025 foreign aid budget reported by Reporters Without Borders (RWB).
At the beginning of March, the Supreme Court upheld a previous ruling that the Trump administration “could not stop $2 billion” in USAID payments from going to intended recipients.
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