‘Won’t allow insubordination’: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio becomes USAID acting director
Written By Prapti Upadhayay
Published: Feb 03, 2025, 18:07 IST | Updated: Feb 03, 2025, 18:07 IST
Story highlights
World: Elon Musk, who has been tasked by Trump with reducing the size of the federal government, stated on X that the president had agreed to his proposal to shut down USAID.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio shared on Monday (Feb 3) that he had been put in charge of the US aid agency, saying he would stop its "insubordination" to President Donald Trump's agenda.
"I'm the acting director of USAID," Rubio told reporters on a visit to El Salvador, saying that the agency had not answered questions and "that level of insubordination makes it impossible to conduct a sort of serious review."
In another development, the headquarters of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Washington, DC, was reportedly shut, with staff instructed to remain at home. This move comes as US President Donald Trump’s administration takes further steps towards the agency’s possible closure.
According to Devex, a media platform focused on global development, employees received emails late on Sunday night advising them not to report to work the next day. Devex obtained a copy of the email, which was sent to USAID staff based at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC.
The message, apparently from “senior leadership,” was sent just a day after the agency’s website was taken offline and shortly after its security director, John Voorhees, along with a deputy, were placed on “administrative leave” following an incident where they physically prevented the Doge team from accessing restricted areas.
Following this, Doge reportedly gained control over the building’s access system, which allowed them to lock out staff and access emails. Additionally, the department sought personnel records and turnstile data, sources claimed.
The Sunday night email stated, “Agency personnel normally assigned to work at USAID headquarters will work remotely tomorrow, with the exception of personnel with essential on-site and building maintenance functions individually contacted by senior leadership.”
On Monday morning, Elon Musk, who has been tasked by Trump with reducing the size of the federal government, stated on X that the president had agreed to his proposal to shut down USAID. The agency oversees nearly $43 billion in food, humanitarian, and other aid across approximately 130 countries.
Also read: End near for American aid agencies as USAID website goes offline amid Trump's freeze on foreign aid
Musk, a billionaire who has frequently labelled USAID a “criminal organisation” that is “beyond repair,” said that he had extensively discussed the shutdown plan with Trump, who confirmed his approval.
“I actually checked with him a few times [and] said, ‘Are you sure?’ And so we’re shutting it down,” Musk was quoted as saying by The Washington Post.
USAID is the world’s largest single donor of humanitarian assistance. In the 2023 fiscal year, the US provided $72 billion in global aid. In 2024, the agency contributed 42% of all humanitarian aid tracked by the United Nations.
Trump has implemented a worldwide freeze on most US foreign aid as part of his “America First” policy, a decision that is already having significant repercussions globally. Democrats and other critics have strongly opposed the targeting of USAID by Musk and the Trump administration.
“No one elected Elon Musk. As Donald Trump allows Musk to access people’s personal information and shut down government funding, Republicans in Washington will also own the consequences. We must do everything in our power to push back and protect people from harm,” wrote Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts on X.
Sources familiar with discussions regarding the agency’s future informed Reuters on Friday that Trump and Musk are working on a plan to merge USAID and its current $42.8 billion humanitarian budget into the State Department.
(With inputs from agencies)