Trump administration terminates over 90% of USAID grants
US President Donald Trump's administration has announced the termination of more than 90% of USAID foreign aid grants.
"In total, nearly 5,800 USAID awards were terminated, and more than 500 USAID awards were retained. The total ceiling value of the retained awards is approximately US$57 billion," the Trump administration stated.
As reported by CNN, the administration's statement also stated that, in addition to the termination of USAID grants, "approximately 4,100 state awards were terminated, and approximately 2,700 state awards were retained".
Later on Wednesday, 26 February the administration specified that "there are still 297 contracts that need to be reviewed".
CNN noted that the sharp reduction in foreign aid has been a severe blow to non-profit organisations and contractors. Aid programmes in various countries have come to a halt due to a significant freeze in funding and a review of billions in assistance.
Updated information from the Trump administration was submitted in response to a lawsuit challenging the complete suspension of foreign aid.
The submitted statement reports that on Wednesday Secretary of State Marco Rubio "made a final decision with respect to each award, on an individualised basis, affirmatively electing to either retain the award or terminate it pursuant to the terms of the instrument or independent legal authority as inconsistent with the national interests and foreign policy of the United States".
However, on the same day the plaintiffs in the lawsuit withdrew their claim that Rubio had personally reviewed all decisions on contract terminations, stating that "it would be impossible for one person or even a group of people to meaningfully review all of these contracts and awards in such a short period".
The grant reductions occurred before a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to comply with a temporary injunction on suspending foreign aid funding and gave the Department of State until Wednesday evening to pay all invoices for work completed by 13 February.