USAID Slashed to Bare Bones: From 14,000 to 294 Staff, Rubio Announces Major Overhaul

Trump and Musk Expose Alleged Misuse, Aim to Redirect USAID to Its Original Humanitarian Mission

According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is downsizing significantly, experiencing staff cuts from 14,000 or 10,000 (its so bloated they don’t seem to know how many are employed) down to 294. USAID will have 78 staff members in its Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, 77 in its Bureau for Global Health, 75 on its management team, 21 focused on the Middle East, 12 assigned to Africa, 10 focused on Europe and Eurasia, eight working on Asia, and eight focused on Latin America and the Caribbean.

The organization was set in motion by an executive order by John F. Kennedy in 1961, with the set purpose of sending humanitarian aid around the world. Since then, it has been wrought with controversy as a way for CIA operatives to get into areas they otherwise may not be able to, further stirring up conflict around the globe with programs like “ZunZuneo” and a multitude of others, straying far from its original intent and ballooning its budget to $32 billion in 2024.

With Trump in office as our president, we see even more exposure to the alleged misuse of taxpayer funds and its effectiveness. As the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) uncovers more abuse of taxpayer monies, Elon Musk has stated that this is “just the tip of the iceberg,” promising more substantial taxpayer savings coming down the pike.

While many have been calling for the elimination of USAID, Trump has decided to keep it around and bring it back to its original intent as a charity organization by the U.S. government, thereby slashing the staff dramatically so it can fulfill its mission in the sunlight, and stop being another covert government operation.