CNN
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the end of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) on Tuesday. A new analysis shows that its demolition could contribute to 14 million deaths over the next five years.
“This era of government-sanctioned inefficiency is officially over. Under the Trump administration, we will ultimately carry out foreign funding missions in the United States, where our national interests are prioritized.”
“As of July 1, USAID will formally cease to implement foreign aid. Foreign aid programs that advance management policies and American interests will be administered by the State Department where they will be provided with more accountability, strategy and efficiency,” he said.
The rapid destruction of USAID led by the Office of Government Efficiency (DOGE) supported by Elon-Musk has cut thousands of foreign aid programs, including many people focused on life-saving work.
A study released Monday in the Lancet estimated that cuts in USAID funding could result in more than 14 million deaths by 2030. It is estimated that one-third of these deaths (more than 4.5 million children under the age of five).
The authors of the study stated that the impact of funding cuts is “similar to a global pandemic or major armed conflict.”
“However, unlike these events, this crisis is attributable to conscious and avoidable policy choices. The burden can fall disproportionately on children and young groups, and the consequences can echo over decades,” they write.
According to a Lancet study, USAID funding was most likely to reduce HIV/AIDS-related mortality rates, with malaria most likely to follow suit. We also found strong associations with tropical diseases, diarrheal diseases, nutritional deficiency, respiratory infections, maternal mortality and tuberculosis.
A senior State Department official disparaged the Lancet investigation and said on Tuesday:
“I think he’s very clear that much of the life-saving work we do is continue and become more efficient,” the official said.
But the aid group says that, coupled with the sudden cleaning of foreign aid in January, the sudden demolition of USAID, has already resulted in catastrophic results.
Officials have largely denied criticism of the administration’s moves.
“You can go back and relate all these little decisions. It’s not our focus. It’s not our secretary’s focus. We’re excited about what America’s first foreign aid agenda looks like and how much of an impact we can have in the future,” they said.
Rubio described the new approach as “prioritizing opportunities and investment in support over aid over dependence.”
“As we move forward, our support is targeted and time is limited. We support countries that have demonstrated both the ability and willingness to help ourselves, and target our resources to areas where they can have multiplier effects and catalyze the durable private sector, including American businesses and global investments,” he writes.
Officials said the administration is considering new indicators to assess the success of US aid work.
“We want to see a kind of bilateral engagement. We want to see investments, co-investments from partners. We want to work with trade contracts, compacts, contracts, cooperation, and work with things,” they said. “These are great indicators of success for us.”
“What we want to do with this is Build Bridges, in a broader alignment with the president’s kind of mission and diplomatic agenda,” they said.
The USAID closure took thousands of jobs and had a ripple effect across the broader humanitarian world. A senior State Department official said he did not anticipate an operational “gap” with the USAID closure, saying “several staff from USAID and elsewhere were employed by the State Department.” A source who spoke to CNN described the recruitment process as opaque and non-merit-based.
The senior official repeatedly raised the example of Pepfer, the US president’s emergency plan for AIDS relief, saying their work will continue in a “more efficient” and “more influential” way. Bipartisan lawmakers have long supported the initiative launched by President George W. Bush.
According to the Lancet survey, in 2023, 60% of PEPFAR’s two-sided HIV support was mandated and implemented by USAID.
“Most of the PEPFAR programs are running today. 85-90% of direct treatment beneficiaries are receiving the medication,” they said. “We’re going to put out a really long-term comprehensive roadmap as to what we’re going to do with Pepfar in the coming weeks and months.”
