Trump Admin announces 90% of USAID contracts to be cut

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.

Related Topics:90%USAIDContractsCut MXMNews TrumpUSAID USAID

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International

Germany launches first permanent foreign troop deployment since WW2

Published on April 5, 2025

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MxM News

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Germany activated a 5,000-strong armored brigade in Lithuania — marking its first permanent foreign military deployment since World War II. The move strengthens NATO’s eastern flank amid Ukraine’s ongoing conflict with Russia.

Key Details:

The 45th Armored Brigade was formally launched outside Vilnius on Tuesday.
Germany plans for the brigade to be fully operational by 2027 in Rūdninkai, near the Belarus border.
The deployment marks a major policy shift for Berlin and a boost for NATO’s deterrence posture.

Diving Deeper:

Germany has officially entered a new era of military engagement, launching its first permanent foreign troop deployment since the end of World War II. The move, announced Tuesday, sees the activation of a 5,000-strong armored brigade in Lithuania as part of a broader NATO strategy to counter the perceived threat from Russia.

The newly formed 45th Armored Brigade was ceremonially inaugurated outside the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. German Brigadier General Christoph Huber assumed command, overseeing the establishment of a temporary headquarters and unveiling the unit’s crest. “We have a clear mission: to ensure the protection, freedom and security of our Lithuanian allies on NATO’s eastern flank,” Huber said, adding that the unit’s presence also directly contributes to the defense of Germany and NATO as a whole.

The deployment follows a pledge made by Berlin in 2023 — a decision that broke with decades of postwar defense policy rooted in military restraint. German officials had long avoided permanently stationing combat troops abroad. That posture has changed in response to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, which has turned the Baltic region into one of NATO’s most vulnerable frontlines.

Germany’s commitment includes more than just fighting forces. The brigade will also feature key support elements, such as a medical center, communications specialists, and command support units dispersed across multiple Lithuanian locations. Troops will initially operate out of temporary facilities, with a permanent base under construction in Rūdninkai, located roughly 30 kilometers south of Vilnius.

Currently, 150 German soldiers are already on the ground in Lithuania. That figure is expected to rise to 500 by the end of the year as the new brigade scales up operations.

Censorship Industrial Complex

China announces “improvements” to social credit system

Published on April 5, 2025

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MxM News

Quick Hit:

Beijing released new guidelines Monday to revamp its social credit system, promising stronger information controls while deepening the system’s reach across China’s economy and society. Critics say the move reinforces the Communist Party’s grip under the banner of “market efficiency.”

Key Details:

The guideline was issued by top Chinese government and Communist Party offices, listing 23 measures to expand and standardize the social credit system.
It aims to integrate the credit system across all sectors of China’s economy to support what Beijing calls “high-quality development.”
Officials claim the new framework will respect information security and individual rights—despite growing global concerns over surveillance and state overreach.

Diving Deeper:

China is doubling down on its social credit system with a newly issued guideline meant to “improve” and expand the controversial surveillance-driven program. Released by both the Communist Party’s Central Committee and the State Council, the document outlines 23 specific measures aimed at building a unified national credit system that will touch nearly every corner of Chinese society.

Framed as a tool for “high-quality development,” the guideline declares that credit assessments will increasingly shape the rules of engagement for businesses, government agencies, and individual citizens. The system, according to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), has already played a role in shaping China’s financial services, government efficiency, and business environment.

Critics of the social credit system have long warned that it serves as an instrument of authoritarian control—monitoring citizens’ behavior, punishing dissent, and rewarding obedience to the Communist Party. By integrating credit data across all sectors and enforcing a “shared benefits” model, the new guideline appears to entrench, not ease, the Party’s involvement in everyday life.

Still, Beijing is attempting to temper foreign and domestic concerns over privacy. The NDRC emphasized that the system is being built on the “fundamental principle” of protecting personal data. Officials pledged to avoid excessive data collection and crack down on any unlawful use of information.