Marco Rubio ‘officially cancelling’ 83% of USAID programs

Rubio posted on X, "After a 6 week review we are officially cancelling 83% of the programs at USAID. The 5200 contracts that are now cancelled spent tens of billions of dollars in ways that did not serve, (and in some cases even harmed), the core national interests of the United States."

"In consultation with Congress, we intend for the remaining 18% of programs we are keeping (approximately 1000) to now be administered more effectively under the State Department. Thank you to DOGE and our hardworking staff who worked very long hours to achieve this overdue and historic reform," he added.

This comes after reports based on anonymous sources have claimed that Musk as well as Rubio clashed during a Cabinet meeting with President Donald Trump as well as the other executive agency heads. The reports claimed that Musk grew angry with Rubio for not cutting enough staff. The New York Times reported that there was an angry spat between the two followed.

Trump, however, said that it was "fake news" that Musk and Rubio have a strained relationship. "“ELON AND MARCO HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP. ANY STATEMENT OTHER THAN THAT IS FAKE NEWS!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social over the weekend.

With Rubio confirming that there will be an 83 percent cut of all programs at USAID, the two seem to be working together on sizing down the scope of the agency.

Musk posted in response to Rubio's post on X, "Tough, but necessary. Good working with you. The important parts of USAID should always have been with Dept of State."