Really? No, not quite. Read the fine print. Then let’s discuss the possibilities.
Marco Rubio Full Statement on X
After a 6 week review we are officially cancelling 83% of the programs at USAID. The 5200 contracts that are now cancelled spent tens of billions of dollars in ways that did not serve, (and in some cases even harmed), the core national interests of the United States. In consultation with Congress, we intend for the remaining 18% of programs we are keeping (approximately 1000) to now be administered more effectively under the State Department. Thank you to DOGE and our hardworking staff who worked very long hours to achieve this overdue and historic reform.
Cancelled USAID Contracts
The Trump administration is canceling 83% of programs at the US Agency for International Development and intends to fold the remaining programs under the State Department, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday.
CNN has reached out to the State Department for more information, including the difference in figures between Rubio’s post and the court filing.
A federal judge has allowed the administration to move forward with putting people on leave and terminations, but another federal judge ruled that the administration must pay out nearly $2 billion in unpaid fees for humanitarian work. The Supreme Court upheld the latter ruling last week but did not provide a timeline for pay out.
Rubio vs Musk
I believe Rubio means what he says. And assuming my interpretation is correct, I am 100 percent OK with it.
Did you catch the key phrase? Here it is: “In consultation with Congress“.
This is not Muskian BS.
In an Audio podcast in the middle of the night Elon Musk said he and Trump are shutting down USAID. They didn’t and won’t.
Q&A on USAID
Q: Does Musk, Rubio, or Trump have the power to shut down USAID?
A: No
Q: Can Rubio move USAID to the State Department?
A: Why not? It belongs there.
Q: Can Congress shut down USAID?
A: Yes
Q:Does Rubio intend to gut USAID?
A: Yes. But the key difference is “in consultation with Congress”
Q: Do you support legal dismantling of USAID?
A: Yes, and I never hinted otherwise.
Q: Were court actions demanding USAID payments go out, the correct decisions?
A: Certainly. Congress, not the president is responsible for the budget, as the courts correctly ruled.
Q: How much money will this save.
A: Unknown, but here is the budget to consider.
USAID Budget
The above image from the 2025 Secretary of State Congressional Budget Justification.
Missing the Key Point
I read numerous reports this morning. All of them missed the key item: “In consultation with Congress, we intend for the remaining 18% of programs we are keeping (approximately 1000) to now be administered more effectively under the State Department.”
Cutting 83 percent of the items (the above are major categories, not items), could cut anywhere from 1 percent to 99+ percent of the budget.
My guess is 5 to 10 percent. And there will be a battle in Congress over every item.
Show Me the Money
Trump will crow, Musk is crowing, and the MAGA crowd is 100 percent elated.
Me? Show me the money. Let’s see what Congress does.
On February 6, I commented USAID Cancellation by Trump, the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Details
The Good
Rooting out fraud and ridiculous unauthorized payments is good. Moreover, there is grounds to fire everyone who sent out checks without questioning a single one.
The Bad
Sorry DOGE, but a blanket cancellation of all payments is unconstitutional.
The Ugly
Elon Musk has no power to do anything but advise the President and make recommendations.
Also in the ugly category is the simple fact that many if not most of the payments are legitimate. By legitimate, I mean genuinely authorized by Congress, not that I think they are a good idea.
The Unfortunate Reality
There is no advantage in releasing Musk in a China shop than releasing George Soros in the same China shop. No good will come from a reckless smashing of plates.
And the unfortunate impact might very well be the courts block everything when some very good things may have happened if Trump took a legitimate case-by-case look.
Lawsuits are pending and Trump will lose. We should not be in this setup.
Supreme Court Rejects Trump’s Pause on USAID Payouts
On March 5, I commented Supreme Court Rejects Trump’s Pause on USAID Payouts
I thought this could go either way, and the 5-4 vote shows it might have.
My Warning Then Is Now Reality
As I said on February 6, “The unfortunate impact might very well be the courts block everything when some very good things may have happened if Trump took a legitimate case-by-case look.“
That this quite conservative court overruled Trump on timing does not bode well for Trump’s more ridiculous actions such as ending birthright citizenship.
As I also said on February 6, “We should not be in this setup.”
This court smackdown is a good thing. I don’t want Trump running roughshod over the Constitution any more than I did Biden. Hypocrites, of course, don’t see it that way.
Perhaps the resolution to this is a 30-day hold instead of 90. I am fine with reasonable actions and we would not be here with reasonable actions. Unfortunately, this could easily turn into a total loss.
However, I do expect Trump to salvage something, eventually, but less than he taken a more reasonable approach.
Regardless of what Congress does, everyone should cheer Rubio going about this the correct way.
Now, we will get something done, legally, with no risk of court interference.
We should have started here in the first place.
Meanwhile …
Don’t count broken eggs before the Senate and House agree to break them.