- Secretary of State Marco Rubio takes control of USAID, accusing the agency of insubordination to Trump’s agenda.
- Rubio says USAID has operated like an independent NGO and vows to bring it in line with U.S. national strategy.
- Trump ally Elon Musk had called for dismantling USAID, as its website went offline over the weekend.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Monday that he has assumed control of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), pledging to bring it in line with President Donald Trump’s policy direction.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that speaking in El Salvador, Rubio confirmed that the State Department had taken over the autonomous aid agency after Trump’s advisor Elon Musk vowed to dismantle it.
Over the weekend, USAID’s official website went dark, fueling speculation about its future.
“I’m the acting director of USAID,” Rubio told reporters, though he noted that day-to-day operations would be delegated to a staffer.
While acknowledging USAID’s ongoing foreign aid programs, Rubio accused the agency of operating like an independent NGO and engaging in activities that contradict U.S. national strategy.
“For decades, people have tried to reform it,” he said. “Many of its programs run counter to our objectives.”
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He further alleged that USAID officials, many now on leave, had refused to cooperate with the new Trump administration, failing to provide transparency on funding and priorities.
“That level of insubordination makes a serious review impossible,” Rubio stated. “It’s going to stop, and it’s going to end.”
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