What is USAID? Marco Rubio is now acting administrator. 10 things to know

On his first day in office Jan. 20, President Trump implemented a 90-day freeze on foreign assistance.
Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, has since launched a sweeping effort to cut trillions in government spending. USAID is one of his latest targets.
Musk has called USAID a “criminal organization.”
On Monday, Feb. 3, the Trump administration moved to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development, putting hundreds of employees on leave and terminating contracts after tech billionaire Elon Musk said he was in the process of shutting down the agency that oversees foreign aid.
President Donald Trump over the weekend criticized it as being “run by a bunch of radical lunatics,” and tech billionaire Elon Musk, who heads his government efficiency initiative, called USAID a “criminal organization.” according to NBC News.
What is USAID?
USAID is the world's largest foreign aid agency.
It was created as an independent agency in 1961 under an executive order signed by President John F. Kennedy.
What does USAID stand for?
USAID stands for United States Agency for International Development
USAID website no longer available
Trying to go directly to USAID's website, usaid.gov, or even through other U.S. government websites, such as usa.gov, gives you a message the site can no longer be reached.
What is USAID?
"The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is the principal U.S. agency to extend assistance to countries recovering from disaster, trying to escape poverty, and engaging in democratic reforms," usa.gov said on its website.
The department's archived website said the agency's mission is to "promote and demonstrate democratic values abroad, and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world."
USAID had a staff of more than 10,000 people.
How much money did USAID give?
In fiscal year 2023, USAID managed more than $40 billion, according to the Congressional Research Service.
The funding went to everything from women's health in conflict zones to clean water, HIV/AIDS treatments, energy security and anti-corruption work.
In fiscal year 2024, the agency received more than $44 billion in federal funding from Congress, accounting for 0.4% of the entire federal budget, according to USAspending.gov.
Types of programs funded by USAID
Among the programs funded by USAID were:
- Clinics helping HIV patients in Africa
- Paying for a doctor at a shelter for migrants in southern Mexico
- Mental health support for LGBTQ+ youth fleeing Venezuela
- Safe Mobility Offices in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Guatemala where migrants can apply to enter the U.S. legally
- Providing prosthetic limbs to soldiers injured in Ukraine
- Clearing landmines
- Containing the spread of Ebola in Africa
- Funding to prevent, mitigate, and/or respond to sexual and gender-based violence in West Africa
DOGE reported USAID also provided:
- $5 million for DEI scholarships in Burma
- $520 million for consultant-driven ESG (environmental, social, and governance) investments in Africa
- $1.2 billion in awards to undisclosed recipients
Countries helped by USAID
In fiscal 2023, USAID provided assistance to about 130 countries, according to the Congressional Research Service. The top 10 recipients of USAID-managed were, in order, were:
- Ukraine
- Ethiopia
- Jordan
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Somalia
- Yemen
- Afghanistan
- Nigeria
- South Sudan
- Syria
Why does Musk want to dismantle USAID?
Musk has criticized USAID several times on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying "the level of corruption and waste is unreal!"
He also questioned what what the funds spent have actually achieved pointing to another post that claimed only 10% of funds reach communities abroad.
What do USAID supporters, critics have to say about USAID?
Supporters of USAID argue U.S. assistance "counters Russian and Chinese influence," according to Associated Press reports.
Critics say the programs are wasteful and promote a liberal agenda.
"Republicans typically push to give the State Department — which provides overall foreign policy guidance to USAID — more control of its policy and funds.
"Democrats typically promote USAID autonomy and authority," The Associated Press reported.
Former Florida Sen. Marco Rubio appointed acting administrator of USAID

Trump appointed former Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, who is now the U.S. secretary of state, acting administrator of USAID.
Rubio has notified Congress a review of USAID’s foreign assistance activities is underway with an eye toward potential reorganization.
"The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has long strayed from its original mission of responsibly advancing American interests abroad, and it is now abundantly clear that significant portions of USAID funding are not aligned with the core national interests of the United States," Rubio said on the State Department's website.