President Donald Trump administration is cutting more than 90% of foreign aid contracts issued by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and reducing $60 billion in overall assistance worldwide, according to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press.
The decision follows a 90-day review ordered by then-President Donald Trump to reassess funding provided by USAID and the State Department for international development and aid programmes. The cuts significantly shrink USAID’s operations, leaving only a handful of projects that advocates are now attempting to preserve through ongoing legal battles.
The Washington Free Beacon first reported on the reductions, which were detailed in both the internal memo and court filings submitted on Wednesday. The administration’s move was influenced by a court order requiring officials to lift a monthlong block on foreign aid funding by the end of the day Wednesday.
“In response, State and USAID moved rapidly,” the memo stated, adding that the agencies targeted “USAID and State Department foreign aid programs in vast numbers for contract terminations.”
