Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday ahead of expected U.S.-Russia talks there on ending Moscow's war on Ukraine, though Kyiv's representatives are not expected to take part.
In recent weeks, President Donald Trump and Elon Musk have taken steps to close it. The agency now faces the prospect of being folded into the State Department under the direction of Marco Rubio, the secretary of state.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to explain the department’s plan to purchase $400 million in armored Tesla Cybertruck vehicles, calling out tech billionaire Elon Musk’s “glaring conflict of interests.
Critics believe that the agency directs too much American taxpayer money promoting progressive political causes and that much spending supports waste, fraud and corruption. Rubio acted after higher-ups at USAID were not forthcoming when the Trump administration and Musk’s DOGE commission sought information on agency spending.
Nahal Toosi is POLITICO’s senior foreign affairs correspondent. She has reported on war, genocide and political chaos in a career that has taken her around the world. Her reported column, Compass, delves into the decision-making of the global national security and foreign policy establishment — and the fallout that comes from it.
The State Department has declared several Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations, with Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) leader Elon Musk floating the idea of drone strikes
The firings added to doubts about whether Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the agency’s acting head, supports lifesaving humanitarian assistance, as he has said he does.
The Republican and Democratic leaders of the US House of Representatives' select committee on China warned on Tuesday (Feb 25) that Beijing may try to exert leverage with Elon Musk in a bid to win favourable US policies,
We’ve given up everything to serve our country overseas, and we’re being maligned by the richest asshole in the world.”
The F.B.I. director, Kash Patel, the director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, and others told employees not to respond to a directive from Mr. Musk ... of State Marco Rubio, the agency ...