Rubio stressed the importance of properly organized assistance and expressed concern about the inefficiency of spending $40 to $60 billion on foreign aid, commenting on the fundamental changes in the work of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
We need to “identify projects that truly support our national interests and continue to fund those initiatives, as well as get rid of those that are a waste of money or even contrary to our interests in the world,” he said, calling for a review of all foreign aid, much of which is distributed through the USAID and the State Department.
Currently, the United States has temporarily suspended all foreign aid to evaluate the effectiveness of each project, with the goal of eliminating unnecessary ones while preserving and potentially strengthening beneficial initiatives.
On Jan. 20, President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending international aid for 90 days “to assess its alignment with U.S. national interests and foreign policy goals.”
On Jan. 27, Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne, citing USAID’s press service, reported that the agency had suspended funding for all programs and projects without exception for 90 days.
According to The Washington Post, the Trump administration also placed dozens of senior USAID officials on administrative leave. USAID supports projects in more than 100 countries, including Ukraine, funding school reconstruction, medical services, energy infrastructure repairs, and social initiatives.
On Jan. 28, Deputy Head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office Iryna Vereshchuk announced that substantive consultations with the United States on restoring USAID funding would begin soon.
On Jan. 29, Ukraine’s parliament said it had started discussions with European partners on potentially replacing U.S. aid.
On Feb. 3, American billionaire Elon Musk, whom Trump appointed as head of the Department of Government Efficiency, announced that efforts were underway to shut down USAID.
CNN reported that USAID’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., had been closed, with employees notified via email.
Trump also appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio as the acting head of USAID, a move aimed at tightening control over the agency and reviewing its funding.