Trump Administration Cuts 90% of USAID Contracts Amid Foreign Aid Controversy
The Trump administration reveals plans to eliminate 90% of USAID contracts, shedding $60 billion in foreign aid, amid legal challenges and significant backlash.
The full impact of Trump's executive order remains to be seen.
Donald Trump issues new executive order on DOGE: What we know
Newsweek·25d·Mostly ReliableThis source is generally reliable but sometimes includes opinion, propaganda, or minor inaccuracies.CenterThis outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.
The order is part of a much broader effort by the White House to dramatically reduce the size of the federal workforce, which the Trump administration has cast as an impediment to realizing his sprawling agenda.
Trump signs executive order expanding power of Elon Musk’s Doge agency
The Guardian·25d·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.Leans LeftThis outlet slightly leans left.
The meeting underscored the growing concern and questions that members of the president's own party have about how Trump's cuts are affecting their constituents — and potentially their own re-election prospects.
Senate Republicans voice DOGE concerns in meeting with White House chief of staff
NBC News·25d·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.CenterThis outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.
The order aims to transform spending by putting all federal grants and contracts through rigorous standards to justify their existence.
Trump to subject all contracts, grants through rigorous standards with DOGE executive order
FOX News·25d·Mostly ReliableThis source is generally reliable but sometimes includes opinion, propaganda, or minor inaccuracies.Leans RightThis outlet slightly leans right.Wednesday’s disclosures also give an idea of the scale of the administration’s retreat from U.S. aid and development assistance overseas, and from decades of U.S. policy that foreign aid helps U.S. interests by stabilizing other countries and economies and building alliances.
Trump administration says it's cutting 90% of USAID foreign aid contracts
Associated Press·25d·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.CenterThis outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.
Summary
The Trump administration announced it will cut more than 90% of USAID's foreign aid contracts, affecting thousands of projects globally. The $60 billion reduction comes as part of a broader initiative led by Trump and Musk to streamline government spending. Critics argue this move undermines years of U.S. development policy. Concurrently, Congress is grappling with competing budget resolutions that complicate Trump's agenda. The implications for critical support programs and international partnerships remain uncertain as legal battles unfold over the funding freeze.
Perspectives
The Trump administration is implementing significant cuts to foreign aid, intending to eliminate over 90% of USAID contracts, which has sparked legal battles and controversy over the impact on U.S. global interests.
Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is tasked with streamlining federal operations but has faced criticism for aggressive staff reductions, including tens of thousands of positions at various agencies.
The recent executive orders emphasize the need for fiscal discipline in government spending but come amid fears that necessary programs and services may be cut too deeply, risking essential functions.