A memo circulating in the Trump administration says the president plans to eliminate 90% of USAID foreign aid programs. An official in the agency said “There are MANY more terminations coming.”
The Associated Press reported the outlet obtained an internal memo from the administration that outlined the planned cuts to 90% of USAID contracts, or $60 billion. “In all, the Trump administration said it will eliminate 5,800 of 6,200 multiyear USAID contract awards, for a cut of $54 billion.” The AP report continued, “Another 4,100 of 9,100 State Department grants were being eliminated, for a cut of $4.4 billion.”
The memo said officials were “clearing significant waste stemming from decades of institutional drift,” and the changes are geared, “to use taxpayer dollars wisely to advance American interests.”
After taking office last month, Trump ordered a 90-day freeze on all foreign aid programs. It now appears most of those frozen programs will be shut down. Additionally, Trump announced that the remainder of USAID will be absorbed into the State Department.
The downsizing of the agency has led to many employees losing their jobs. A USAID official warned remaining employees to expect more terminations in the near future. “‘There are MANY more terminations coming, so please gear up!'” a USAID official wrote to staff on Monday.
While USAID programs are often presented as helping desperate people receive basic services, the agency has often been deployed by Washington to foment dissent and facilitate regime change operations.
