{"id":2400265,"date":"2025-02-07T11:47:01","date_gmt":"2025-02-07T16:47:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/usaid-utterly-obliterated-rubio-announces-97-of-staff-gone-africa-asia-to-share-20-staffers-total\/"},"modified":"2025-02-07T11:48:05","modified_gmt":"2025-02-07T16:48:05","slug":"usaid-utterly-obliterated-rubio-announces-97-of-staff-gone-africa-asia-to-share-20-staffers-total","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/usaid-utterly-obliterated-rubio-announces-97-of-staff-gone-africa-asia-to-share-20-staffers-total\/","title":{"rendered":"USAID Utterly Obliterated &#8211; Rubio Announces 97% of Staff Gone &#8211; Africa, Asia to Share 20 Staffers Total"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">36<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fusaid-utterly-obliterated-rubio-announces-97-of-staff-gone-africa-asia-to-share-20-staffers-total%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2400265&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Recent reports indicated \u200cthat the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/california-begins-special-session-to-secure-funding-to-fight-trump-in-court-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"California begins special session to secure funding to fight Trump in court - Washington Examiner\">trump governance<\/a> is significantly\u200c downsizing the U.S.Agency for international Development (USAID).According to sources cited by Reuters, the staff will be reduced from around 10,000 employees to just 294, representing a\u200d drastic 97% cut. The New York\u2063 Times revealed that under the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-open-to-narrowing-who-qualifies-for-stimulus-checks-critics-suggest-hes-breaking-promises\/\" title=\"Biden \u2018Open To Narrowing\u2019 Who Qualifies For Stimulus Checks; Critics Suggest He\u2019s Breaking Promises\">current plan<\/a>, only a handful\u2063 of individuals will manage projects across\u2062 various global regions. <\/p>\n<p>Critics, including former\u200d USAID leaders, \u200bhave expressed outrage \u2063over \u200bthese reductions. The State Department has yet to comment on the changes, which come in the context of efforts initiated by Elon \u2063Musk&#8217;s Department\u200c of Government Efficiency and \u200bSecretary of State Marco Rubio,\u200d who criticized USAID for alleged insubordination. Rubio aims for a more streamlined agency, questioning the effectiveness of current \u2062programs. Additionally,\u2064 approximately 800 USAID contracts are being canceled, \u200craising concerns about the agency&#8217;s\u200c <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">future operational capacity<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>New reports said the Trump administration is gutting the U.S. Agency for International Development.<\/p>\n<p>A report from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/us\/trump-administration-keeping-only-294-usaid-staff-out-over-10000-globally-2025-02-06\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Reuters<\/a> based on sources it did not name said that when the cutting is done, 294 people will work for an agency that has had about 10,000 employees. If accurate, that would be a 97 percent reduction.<\/p>\n<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/02\/06\/us\/politics\/usaid-job-cuts.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The New York Times<\/a>, a screenshot of an  from Joel Borkert, the acting USAID chief of staff, said the current plans is to have 12 people working on projects in Africa, eight covering Latin America and the Caribbean, 21 focused on Middle East projects, and eight devoted to Asia.<\/p>\n<p>The Times reported, the plan is to retain 78 people in the bureau of humanitarian affairs and 77 in the bureau of global health.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;That&rsquo;s outrageous,&rdquo; J. Brian Atwood, a former USAID leader, told Reuters.<\/p>\n<p> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\tif ( getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"stnvideo\").remove() \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p>The State Department did not comment on the Times or Reuters reports.<\/p>\n<p>USAID has been scrutinized by Elon Musk&rsquo;s Department of Government Efficiency and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.<\/p>\n<p>On Tuesday, the Trump administration said directly hired USAID workers will be put on leave and all foreign personnel were being recalled.<\/p>\n<p>The Times report, which also quoted sources it did not name, said that USAID officials are pushing back against the proposed staffing levels.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to the staff cuts, the Times report said about 800 awards and contracts <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/marco-rubio-takes-embattled-usaid-vows-big-changes-completely-unresponsive-agency\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">USAID<\/a> administers are being canceled.<\/p>\n<p>Rubio told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/rubio-says-no-choice-bring-usaid-under-control-after-agency-takeover-rank-insubordination\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fox News<\/a> this week that USAID has gone rogue in recent years, accusing it of &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/11-insane-things-your-tax-dollars-paid-for-thanks-to-usaid\/\" title=\"11 Insane Things Your Tax Dollars Paid For Thanks To ...\">rank insubordination&#038;rdquo<\/a>; and saying, &ldquo;We had no choice but to bring this thing under control.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Rubio said USAID staffers &ldquo;don&rsquo;t consider that they work for the U.S. They just think they&rsquo;re a global entity and that their master is the globe and not the United States, and that&rsquo;s not what the statute says, and that&rsquo;s not sustainable.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/rubio-bombshell-el-salvador-willing-jail-worst-criminals-40000-super-prison\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rubio<\/a> indicated a leaner, more focused USAID is his goal.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There are things that we do through USAID that we should continue to do, that make sense, and we&rsquo;ll have to decide, is that better through the State Department or is that better through something, you know, a reformed USAID? That&rsquo;s the process we&rsquo;re working through,&rdquo; he said.<\/p>\n<p>Republican Sen. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/joni-ernst-bestows-wasteful-government-spending-award-department-defense\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Joni Ernst<\/a> of Iowa said USAID has been trying to cover up its spending, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/usaid-has-demonstrated-pattern-obstructionism-claims-top-doge-republican-letter-rubio\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fox News<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;USAID&rsquo;s spending shows a blatant disregard for the wishes of American taxpayers, and it is time to disrupt the system,&rdquo; Ernst said.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The agency has been wasting millions of tax dollars on things like tourism in Lebanon, Sesame Street in Iraq, sending Ukrainians to Paris Fashion Week, and so much more.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]]=document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display='block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src=firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id']=firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting=jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display='block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> \t     \t\t\t\t\t\t     \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><script>console.log(\"ad slot (BA1)\")<\/script> \t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<style> \t\t\t \t\t\t.insticator-unit.type-commenting{margin: 0 10px 25px 10px}@media screen and (max-width:1060px){#div-insticator-ad-cmt-1, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-2, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-3, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-4{margin: 0 auto 25px auto !important;}}#div-insticator-ad-cmt-1, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-2, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-3, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-4{height: 280px !important; width: 336px !important} \t\t<\/style>\n<div class=\"insticator-unit type-commenting\">\n<div class=\"insticator-ads\"> \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t<script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\t\t\tif ( ! getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-1\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-2\"); \t\t\t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-1\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-2\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t<\/script> \t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"insticator-ads additional\"> \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t<script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\t\t\tif ( ! getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-3\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-4\"); \t\t\t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-3\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-4\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t<\/script> \t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Recent reports indicate that the Trump administration is significantly reducing the workforce at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). According to a Reuters report, which cited unnamed sources, the agency&#8217;s staff will be cut down to 294 from approximately 10,000 employees, representing a staggering 97 percent decrease. The New York Times reported that an internal message from Joel Borkert, acting chief of staff at USAID, outlined plans for just 12 personnel focused on Africa, eight on Latin America and the Caribbean, 21 on Middle Eastern projects, and eight dedicated to Asia. The Times also noted intentions to keep 78 individuals in humanitarian affairs and another 77 in global health. Former USAID leader J. Brian Atwood expressed outrage over these cuts in comments to Reuters.<\/p>\n<p>The State Department has not responded to inquiries regarding these reports from The Times or Reuters. USAID has come under scrutiny from Elon Musk\u2019s Department of Government Efficiency as well as Secretary of State Marco Rubio. On Tuesday, it was announced that directly hired USAID employees would be placed on leave while all foreign personnel would be recalled.<\/p>\n<p>The Times further reported that some USAID officials are resisting these proposed staffing changes and mentioned that around 800 awards and contracts managed by USAID are being canceled. Rubio criticized USAID for what he described as &#8220;rank insubordination,&#8221; asserting that it had strayed from its mission by acting independently of U.S. interests.<\/p>\n<p>Rubio aims for a more streamlined and focused version of USAID moving forward: \u201cWe need to evaluate whether certain functions should continue through either the State Department or a reformed version of USAID.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Republican Senator Joni Ernst accused USAID of mismanaging taxpayer funds during an interview with Fox News: \u201cUSAID\u2019s spending reflects a blatant disregard for American taxpayers\u2019 wishes; it&#8217;s time we disrupt this system,\u201d she stated while highlighting questionable expenditures like tourism promotions in Lebanon and funding initiatives such as Sesame Street in Iraq<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2400266,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Marco-Rubio.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[5716,5208,5438,50009,16381],"class_list":["post-2400265","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-africa","tag-asia","tag-rubio","tag-staff-reduction","tag-usaid"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Marco-Rubio.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2400265","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2400265"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2400265\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2400269,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2400265\/revisions\/2400269"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2400266"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2400265"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2400265"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2400265"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}