Trump Administration Proposes Drastic 48% Budget Cut for State Department and USAID

The internal memo outlines sweeping reductions in humanitarian aid, global health, and international organization funding, with Secretary Rubio's response due Tuesday.

The Trump administration's budget proposal seeks to reduce the combined budgets of the State Department and USAID by $27 billion, a 48% decrease from 2025 funding levels approved by Congress.
Humanitarian assistance funding would be cut by 54%, global health funding by 55%, and nearly 90% of contributions to international organizations, including the UN and NATO, would be eliminated.
The memo, prepared by State Department diplomats, sets an April 15 deadline for Secretary of State Marco Rubio to respond to the proposed changes.
Critics, including Senator Chris Van Hollen and the Foreign Service Association, have condemned the proposal as reckless, predicting bipartisan opposition in Congress.
The proposal includes consolidating USAID into the State Department, a hiring freeze, and the establishment of a $2.1 billion America First Opportunities Fund for administration priorities.