Connect with us
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=12]

International

Trump Admin announces 90% of USAID contracts to be cut

Published

3 minute read

MXM logo  MxM News

Quick Hit:

The Trump administration has announced the elimination of more than 90% of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) foreign aid contracts, amounting to $60 billion in cuts. The administration argues the decision targets “significant waste” while realigning U.S. foreign assistance to better serve American interests.

Key Details:

  • Over 5,800 of 6,200 USAID contract awards will be terminated, totaling $54 billion in cuts.
  • An additional $4.4 billion will be cut from State Department grants, impacting 4,100 of 9,100 programs.
  • The administration claims the cuts will curb waste and enhance efficiency, while critics argue it undermines U.S. global influence and humanitarian efforts.

Diving Deeper:

The Trump administration’s decision to cut more than 90% of USAID’s foreign aid contracts marks a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy, aligning with President Donald Trump’s commitment to reducing federal government spending and prioritizing domestic interests. In total, $60 billion will be slashed from U.S. assistance programs worldwide, impacting thousands of development and humanitarian projects.

According to an internal memo obtained by the Associated Press, the administration described the cuts as a necessary measure to address “significant waste stemming from decades of institutional drift.” The memo also highlighted plans to restructure how USAID and the State Department distribute foreign aid, emphasizing a strategy to “use taxpayer dollars wisely to advance American interests.”

This sweeping reduction includes the termination of 5,800 out of 6,200 multiyear USAID contracts, amounting to $54 billion in cuts. An additional $4.4 billion will be eliminated from State Department grants, affecting 4,100 programs. The administration’s actions reflect its broader agenda to reduce U.S. involvement in international development, a stance supported by key Trump ally Elon Musk, who has argued that USAID projects often advance a liberal agenda at the expense of American taxpayers.

Despite strong support from conservative circles, the decision has faced criticism from international aid organizations, advocacy groups, and some members of Congress. Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, accused the administration of attempting to bypass congressional and judicial authority by swiftly terminating the contracts.

The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a lower court’s order requiring the administration to release billions in foreign aid by midnight, allowing the cuts to proceed while legal battles continue. The court’s decision comes after U.S. District Judge Amir H. Ali ordered the administration to unfreeze funds following a lawsuit by nonprofit groups and businesses owed payments on USAID contracts.

This move marks one of the most substantial reductions in U.S. foreign assistance in modern history, raising questions about its impact on global health initiatives, counterterrorism efforts, and international alliances. The Trump administration, however, maintains that the cuts are necessary to eliminate waste and redirect resources to strengthen American interests at home and abroad.

Todayville is a digital media and technology company. We profile unique stories and events in our community. Register and promote your community event for free.

Follow Author

2025 Federal Election

‘I’m Cautiously Optimistic’: Doug Ford Strongly Recommends Canada ‘Not To Retaliate’ Against Trump’s Tariffs

Published on

 

From the Daily Caller News Foundation

By Jason Cohen

Ontario Premier Doug Ford urged Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to avoid retaliation against the tariffs President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday.

Trump announced in the White House Rose Garden that he would impose “a minimum baseline tariff of 10%” on all goods entering the United States, with Canada not being included on the list of countries with higher rates. When asked about what Canada’s response would be on “Bloomberg: Balance of Power,” Ford said he was “cautiously optimistic” about Canada’s omission from the higher-tier tariffs and emphasized the importance of a cooperative relationship with the U.S.

WATCH:

“Well, let’s see where these tariffs go. I’m cautiously optimistic that I never saw Canada or Mexico on that list. And it just goes to show you two great countries working together, collaborating together and building relationships,” Ford said. “So again, I’m cautiously optimistic. I think if that’s the case, it’s the right thing for both the U.S and Canada.”

Host Kailey Leinz noted that there are currently tariffs on Canada in place as well as an exemption for goods that are in compliance with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

“Does that mean, sir, at least in your mind, that it wouldn’t be appropriate for Canada to retaliate for this at this time?” Leinz asked.

“That is correct. If that’s the case, then I would highly recommend to the prime minister not to retaliate. And let’s carry on a strong relationship,” Ford answered. “Let’s build the American-Canadian fortress around both countries and be the wealthiest, most prosperous, safest two countries in the world.”

Trump declared a national emergency to levy a slew of reciprocal tariffs on what he has deemed “Liberation Day.”

“My fellow Americans, this is Liberation Day, April 2, 2025, will forever be remembered as the day American industry was reborn, the day America’s destiny was reclaimed, and the day that we began to make America wealthy again,” Trump said.

The president also announced that he would proceed with implementing a 25% tariff on “all foreign-made automobiles” that will take effect at midnight.

Ford in March had imposed a 25% surcharge on electricity to New York, Michigan and Minnesota, but promptly rescinded the policy and apologized to Americans on WABC’s “Cats & Cosby” radio show the following day. The tariffs were a retaliatory measure against Trump’s flurry of tariffs against Canada since starting his second term.

Continue Reading

2025 Federal Election

Liberal MP resigns after promoting Chinese government bounty on Conservative rival

Published on

From LifeSiteNews

By Clare Marie Merkowsky

“I find it incredible that Mark Carney would allow someone to run for his party that called for a Canadian citizen to be handed over to a foreign government on a bounty,” he said at a recent rally. “What does that say about whether Mark Carney would protect Canadians?”

Liberal MP candidate Paul Chiang has dropped out of the running after being exposed for suggesting Canadians turn in a Conservative Party candidate to the Chinese consulate to collect a bounty placed on the man by the communist regime.

In an March 31 statement, Chiang, the Liberal candidate for the Markham-Unionville riding, announced his departure from the race after a video of him suggesting a bounty could be claimed for Conservative candidate Joe Tay by handing him over to Chinese authorities circulated on social media. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have announced they are “probing” the comments.

“I am proud of what we have achieved together and I remain deeply grateful for the trust placed in me,” he said. “This is a uniquely important election with so much at stake for Canadians. As the Prime Minister and Team Canada work to stand up to President Trump and protect our economy, I do not want any distractions in this critical moment.”

 

“That’s why I’m standing aside as our 2025 candidate in our community of Markham-Unionville,” he announced.

Chiang’s resignation follows backlash from Conservatives and Canadians alike when a January video from a news conference with Chinese-language media in Toronto resurfaced.

In the video, Chiang jokingly suggested that Tay, his then-Conservative rival for the Markham–Unionville riding, could be turned over to the Chinese Consulate General in Toronto in return for $1-million Hong Kong dollar bounty, about $183,000 CAD.

 

Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre was quick to call out Chiang’s suggestion and blasted Prime Minister Mark Carney for keeping him on the ballot.

Chiang has since apologized for his suggestion on both social media and personally to Tay.

“Today, I spoke with Joseph Tay, the Conservative candidate for Don Valley North, to personally apologize for the comments that I made this past January,” he wrote in a March 30 X post.

 

“It was a terrible lapse of judgement. I recognize the severity of the statement and I am deeply disappointed in myself,” he continued.

Carney has said remarkably little regarding the situation. First, he refused to fire the Liberal candidate, referring to Chiang’s statement as a “terrible lapse of judgment.”

“He’s made his apology. He’s made it to the public, he’s made it to the individual concerned, he’s made it directly to me, and he’s going to continue with his candidacy,” Carney said. “He has my confidence.”

Then, following the announcement of Chaing’s resignation, Carney told reporters that it was time to “move on” and that he would “leave it at that.”

Continue Reading

Trending

X