Sec Rubio says purge of USAID programs complete with 83% gone, remainder now falling under State Dept

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that 83% of USAID programs will be canceled following the conclusion of a six-week review by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

In total, 5,200 contracts are being terminated, Rubio wrote in his early Monday morning post on X announcing the new reforms. He said the canceled contracts amounted to “tens of billions of dollars” being spent “in ways that did not serve,” or even harmed, the national interests of the U.S.

Rubio added that the remaining 18% of USAID programs—approximately 1,000—will now be managed by the State Department. The move to transfer that authority, he said, was made in consultation with Congress. 

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that 83% of the programs at USAID will be canceled following the conclusion of a six-week review by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, while those that remain will now be under the purview of the State Department. (GETTY IMAGES/FOX)

In his Monday morning post, Rubio also thanked DOGE and its “hardworking staff who worked very long hours to achieve this overdue and historic reform.” Musk responded to the post, adding “good working with you,” calling the work “tough but necessary.”

“The important parts of USAID should always have been with Dept of State,” Musk wrote. 

The pair reportedly got into a heated exchange last week during a meeting with President Donald Trump’s Cabinet officials, which included Musk, over whether Rubio was doing enough to implement cuts at USAID. Trump reportedly defended Rubio during the spat, according to The New York Times, chiming in that he was doing a “great job” in such a demanding and high-pressure position. Trump later wrote on Truth Social that the two “have a great relationship.”

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and Elon Musk. (EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images | Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images/Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

USAID was an early target of Trump, who, just hours after taking office, ordered a 90-day pause on all U.S. foreign assistance programs pending a review to ensure those programs aligned with American interests. Musk has also been at the forefront of criticism of the agency, asserting it is “beyond repair” and likening the agency’s spending to illegal money laundering for left-wing nonprofits.

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As the Trump administration has sought to dismantle USAID, a slew of lawsuits seeking to halt its actions have come down. The Supreme Court issued an emergency ruling last week, refusing to halt a judge’s order directing the Trump administration to resume $2 billion in foreign aid payments owed to other countries via pre-existing contracts.

Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department for comment but did not immediately hear back.