7h ago

Secretary of State Rubio says purge of USAID programs complete, with 83% of agency's programs gone

apnews.com Secretary of State Rubio says purge of USAID programs complete, with 83% of agency's programs gone

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is signaling that the Trump administration has finished its six-week dismantling of the six-decade-old U.S.

Summary

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the completion of the Trump administration's six-week purge of USAID programs, eliminating 83% of the agency's initiatives.

The remaining 18% will move under State Department control.

The administration claims eliminated programs "did not serve the core national interests" of the US. Critics argue the shutdown is illegal without congressional approval.

Aid groups report even life-saving programs received termination notices. The rapid dismantling has left thousands unemployed and billions in unpaid contracts, with many USAID staff still stranded overseas awaiting travel expenses.

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https://www.politico.eu/article/usaid-freeze-russia-influence-eastern-europe-georgia-ukraine-moldova-belarus-ngo-media/
BRUSSELS — United States President Donald Trump’s international aid freeze will evaporate funding for civil society groups across Eastern Europe, undercutting pro-democracy initiatives and creating an open goal for Russia to boost its hold on the region.
The Trump administration’s steps toward dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) — pausing most existing foreign aid for 90 days pending review and placing nearly all its employees on paid leave — directly affects ongoing humanitarian and development projects worldwide.
The effects will be particularly profound in Europe, where USAID pledged $17.2 billion worth of aid in 2023, the lion’s share of which went to Eastern European countries bordering Russia.
The money, equivalent to 40 percent of the agency’s total aid commitments, is used to fund projects ranging from democratic reforms to energy infrastructure and disease prevention.
For countries like Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine, where Russia’s shadow looms large, analysts have warned that cuts to aid from Washington would dramatically strengthen Moscow’s hand and reinforce the narrative of unreliable Western partners.

I hope he lives long enough to see what the history books say about him.

So now he will hand everyone a wad of hard, cold cash he has saved. Just as he promised, right?
- Everyone that matters to Trump, yes.

These assholes are trading countless human lives to line already obscenely rich people. The children deserve justice.

Thanks you Trump for finally eliminating US soft power. Once no nation sees any benefits in close relationships with the US and actively hates it, the US will truly be a wealthier and more powerful super power than ever before!
(I'm being sarcastic, jfc this is so stupid and cruel)

So now that we’re not wasting money on other countries we’re gonna help Americans, right?
- The money was mostly given to American companies and created American jobs. Most of the money went to Americans, who focused their energies on helping other countries.
  
  What, you don’t feel richer already???
- 100%. American billionaires...and one South African because the illegal immigrant label doesn't apply to white people.
  
  There's multiple South Africans backing Krasnov.
- Absolutely. A very, very, small percentage of Americans.
- Of course. And by that, they mean land and business owners who cozy up to the cabal, not the "lowly NPC masses".

I am so proud that my country is actively starving people and denying them medical care around the world, just like at home. Spreading the American way!
(do I really need to add the /s?)
- (do I really need to add the /s?)
  no
- Nothing says 'Murica like a homoerotic beefcake. 💙
- The United States Agency of International Development... Is also a big part of how the CIA pays for the maintenance of the American world order overseas, which benefits America, and goes against the interests of places like Russia, and China.
  From Wikipedia:
  U.S. national interests
  Congress appropriates exceptional financial assistance to allies to support U.S. geopolitical interests, mainly in the form of "Economic Support Funds" (ESF). USAID is called on to administer the bulk (90%) of ESF[67] and is instructed: "To the maximum extent feasible, [to] provide [ESF] assistance ... consistent with the policy directions, purposes, and programs of [development assistance]."[68]
  Basically that's jargon for, we do CIA stuff to maintain US interests. Gotta fund protestors in Russia or Iran? The money is probably going through USAID. Rebels in Chad? That'll be USAID money. Fund Israeli scouts to patrol the oil rich Golan Heights in Syria? CIA to USAID to Israel.
  Without USAID America's ability to effect events overseas will be diminished, allowing other players a greater amount of influence, for their global interests.
  
  What's funny to me is that a party made of people that go on RELIGIOUS MISSIONS don't seem to understand the concept.
  
  So traitorous GOP doing traitorous GOP stuff by weakening the US worldwide. Understood.
- There is currently no standard irony or sarcasm punctuation.
  Until there is one, you can use some other symbol for irony punctuation. Like ⸮, ‽, ¡ or ¿.
  You can also use the rolleyes emote 🙄, strategic italics, and even rAndOMcASe capitalization.
  Just don't use the SarcMark™. A trademarked punctuation mark you have to pay to use is one of the most bullshit forms of capitalist bullshit one can imagine. Fuck that shit with a white-hot iron rebar.
  Oh, before I forget, there's also the snarkmark ( .~ ). Works like the SarcMark™, but you don't have to tell the world you are an idiot for paying to use a punctuation mark.

Good job not voting, lefties. They couldn't have won without your help.

Now we will eliminate the waste, fraud, and abuse in the military budget, right? Right?

Hooray... We did it...

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