Secretary of State Marco Rubio told journalists in Salvador that he was currently acting director of the American Agency for International Development (USAID).
The United States International Aid Agency Chief Agency is the last on the president Donald Trump Haching block after the cost of the billionaire, Elon Musk, announced on Monday that the duo had “accepted” the American agency for international development (USAID) should be “closed”.
“It has become obvious that it is not an apple with a worm in it,” said Musk on his X platform. “What we have is just a ball of worms. You have to get rid of essentially The situation is more reparation. ”
Musk, the richest man in the world now in charge of the Trump Government Department (DOGE), made the headlines during the weekend after targeting the international aid agency and its team seized classified information on Saturday despite the security authorization to do so, the Associated Press reported.
On Sunday, the USAID website became dark and on Monday, the employees were prohibited in its headquarters, while thousands of others had their work instantly suspended.
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio (Al Drago / Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Secretary of State Marco Rubio was appointed acting director of the Independent Agency.
What is USAID?
USAID was created in the early 1960s to act on behalf of the United States to provide help around the world, especially in poor and underdeveloped regions.
In 1961, the Congress adopted the law on foreign assistance to establish an agency that supervised international spending following the Second World War when US foreign aid was considerably intensified.
President John F. Kennedy signed the act and Created in the USAID by executive decree.
The agency now operates on 60 nations and employs some 10,000 people, including two thirds who work abroad – although most work in the field are subcontracted to third -party organizations funded by USAID, According to a BBC report.
In 1998, the USAID became an independent executive agency, which prompted a lot to wonder if the president has the power to dissolve it unilaterally.
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President -elected Donald Trump and Elon Musk attend a vision of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket on November 19, 2024 in Brownsville, Texas. (Brandon Bell / Getty Images / Getty Images)
What type of work does USAID do?
The scope of the work supervised by the USAID is vast and goes from the administration of foreign aid through humanitarian efforts such as the relief of the famine, the drinking water distribution programs, the medical services, in particular the Administration of polio vaccines, HIV / AIDS prevention work, to strengthen democracy, human rights and HIV / AIDS governance.
Agency’s operations abroad have moved over the past six decades, initially focusing on the combination of technical aspects of existing international aid and development programs that appeared following the Second World War . In the 1970s, his goal became “basic human needs” such as food access, health, education and population planning, according to A USAID archived website.
The agency has played a role for decades not only by providing basic aid to the underdeveloped regions, but also to help plan and implement programs to help democracy, economic development and security networks Social after major events around the world, such as the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the Genocide of Rwanda in 1994 and the withdrawal of Iraq American troops in 2011.
Employees and supporters meet to protest outside the American agency for the headquarters of international development on February 3, 2025, in Washington, DC (Images Kevin Dietsch / Getty)
Why do Trump, Musk and Rubio want to destroy Usaid?
The United States by far spending its international peers with regard to foreign aid, spending some $ 68 billion in 2023 – 40 billion dollars to the USAID, the BBC reported.
Trump was a long -standing critic of expenses abroad, arguing that this does not benefit the American taxpayer and going so far as to call those who direct the best “Radical Lunatics” agency.
Rubio echoed this feeling on Monday and told journalists during a visit to El Salvador: “USAID does not work.”
“He must be aligned with the national interest of the United States, they are not a global charitable organization, they are dollars of taxpayers. People ask simple questions. What do they do with money?” He continued. “We spend taxpayers’ money. We owe taxpayers the assurance that this strengthens our national interests.”
Secretary of State Rubio confirms to become the USAID chief
USAID in controversy
USAID has become More and more the target of an animated American policy, Republicans arguing that it is a waste, promote liberal programs and should be wrapped in the State Department.
Democrats have thwarted that the agency plays a vital role in the interests of American national security and says that it should remain independent. They underline the work that USAID has done to counter the Soviet influence during the Cold War – a sphere of influence which could remain a concern in the initiative of the belt and the road to China.
USAID was increasingly questioned by the Republicans for its alleged financing of Coronavirus research At the Wuhan Institute of Virology, as well as millions of aids that support the rights of LGBT abroad and tens of millions of dollars for migrant crises in other countries, such as almost $ 45 million planned to provide Emergency food assistance and economic support for Venezuelan migrants in Colombia.
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Following Trump’s freeze on foreign aid last month, Rubio made it possible to submit exemptions from projects which, according to staff members, should be pushed.
Some 200 exceptions have been sought for projects involving LGBT programs, as well as environmental justice initiatives. All were rejected, according to the Washington Free Beacon.
