Rubio reveals plans to exempt key programmes from USAID shutdown
1. Every single day, we are issuing waivers on the State Department programmes, says Rubio
Trump Administration Works to Exempt Select USAID Programs from Foreign Aid Freeze
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday that the Trump administration is identifying specific USAID programs to exempt from its sweeping freeze on foreign aid.
His statement follows President Donald Trump’s decision last month to halt most US foreign assistance, a move that has already placed all directly hired USAID employees on leave and recalled thousands of overseas personnel under his "America First" policy.
Trump and his aides have emphasized their intent to ensure that billions in US aid, including global humanitarian assistance, align with this policy. The president tasked billionaire Elon Musk—who has accused USAID of being a criminal organization without providing evidence—with downsizing the agency.
Since the freeze took effect on January 20, stop-work orders have halted much of USAID’s global aid efforts, resulting in widespread layoffs of contractors. However, on Monday, the administration announced exemptions for certain "specially designated programs."
“The wording is intentional because we now have to determine which programs should be specifically designated and therefore exempt,” Rubio stated at a press conference in Guatemala City.
Programs will be evaluated based on whether they advance US national interests. "Those that do not will not continue," Rubio added.
He also reiterated claims that USAID staff were not fully cooperating with the administration’s review of aid programs, though he acknowledged that State Department staff working on similar initiatives had provided valuable insight.
“At the State Department, we’ve gained significant insight, which is why we’re issuing daily waivers for State Department programs,” Rubio said, though he did not specify the nature of those waivers.
Emergency food aid was not included in the broad freeze, and on January 28, Rubio issued an additional waiver for life-saving assistance, outlining criteria for eligibility.
However, aid organizations remain uncertain about their operations due to vague details in Trump’s order and the subsequent waivers.
On Wednesday, Reuters reported that despite the exemption for food assistance, the US had halted purchases for foreign food aid programs. Sources indicated that the freeze on purchasing wheat, soybeans, and other US farm commodities could disrupt or shut down aid organizations that deliver millions of tonnes of food to countries like Madagascar, Tanzania, and Honduras.
