The United States has officially shut down over eighty percent of USAID following a sweeping audit that revealed tens of billions of dollars were spent in ways that didn’t serve and sometimes even harmed national interests.
The remaining seventeen percent of the programs, roughly a thousand, will now be managed directly under the State Department. This decision was made after a six-week audit led by the Department of Government Efficiency, spearheaded by Elon Musk. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the move, stating it was long overdue.
The audit exposed over 5,200 contracts that funneled billions of taxpayer dollars into initiatives with little to no benefit for Americans. Rubio acknowledged that many of these programs were not just ineffective but outright damaging to U.S. interests abroad. That’s how deep the rot went.
Elon Musk thanked Rubio publicly on X, affirming that the useful parts of USAID were always meant to be managed by the State Department. The collaboration between the two departments was key in fast-tracking this overhaul. It’s stunning how fast things changed when the right hands got involved.
Thousands of employees have already been laid off or placed on administrative leave. The sheer magnitude of waste uncovered has sent shockwaves through Washington. Over the years, USAID had become a slush fund for special interests, pouring taxpayer dollars into foreign initiatives that had no clear connection to benefiting America.
Rubio’s message was clear, the era of unchecked spending through USAID is over. The few remaining programs, deemed beneficial to national interest, will now be subject to stricter oversight. This is what reform actually looks like.
Expect more shakeups ahead.
Sources:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenniferlotito/2025/03/05/usaid-dismantling-disrupt-us-workforce/
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/03/marco-rubio-declares-usaid-audit-complete-vast-majority/