Samantha Power’s viral takedown of Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a congressional hearing has reignited a fierce political battle over the future of U.S. foreign aid.
At a Glance
- Rubio dismantled USAID shortly after becoming Secretary of State in January 2025
- Power called his claims about ballooning aid budgets “completely false”
- Cuts eliminated food relief, maternal health, refugee support, and stabilization programs
- Pentagon officials warned the move weakens U.S. security and empowers rivals
- China and Russia are stepping in to fill the global aid vacuum left behind
Power confronts Rubio over foreign aid cuts
In testimony before Congress, former USAID administrator Samantha Power accused Rubio of endangering lives and misrepresenting the scope of U.S. foreign aid spending. She directly challenged his assertion that USAID had “ballooned out of control,” calling it “completely false” and politically motivated.
Watch: Samantha Power interview with Anderson Cooper
Power told lawmakers the programs being cut under Rubio’s direction—famine relief, maternal health, anti-violence initiatives—are not wasteful, but essential. “These are survival lifelines,” she said. “Without them, people die. And when we disappear, others fill the void.”
USAID dissolved under new State Department mandate
After taking office in January 2025, Rubio moved quickly to eliminate USAID as an independent agency and fold its operations into the State Department. According to ABC News, the move resulted in suspended field operations, mass staff reductions, and the cancellation of active missions in more than 40 countries.
A Washington Post report revealed that internal warnings from diplomats and humanitarian advisors were largely ignored, with some career officials resigning in protest.
Just prior to the agency’s final closure, Bloomberg confirmed Rubio signed off on the immediate cancellation of programs supporting refugees, girls’ education, and public health in crisis regions.
National security and global influence at risk
The policy shift has drawn criticism from across the defense establishment. Politico reports that senior Pentagon officials warned Rubio that slashing humanitarian and stabilization programs could undermine U.S. strategic interests, potentially forcing future military interventions in unstable regions.
Power argued that humanitarian aid is a frontline tool for national security, not a luxury. “You don’t win global trust with drones,” she said. “You win it by showing up in the darkest moments with help.”
China and Russia, she noted, are moving into regions where U.S. aid once maintained diplomatic footholds. Their offers come with strings—but little competition.
High-stakes budget fight ahead
Rubio maintains that the restructuring will streamline aid delivery and align U.S. resources with national priorities. But lawmakers from both parties have expressed concern over the scale and speed of the cuts.
The 2026 foreign operations budget remains stalled as debate intensifies. Power’s testimony may galvanize bipartisan support for restoring at least some of the eliminated programs.
“This isn’t just about policy,” she told the committee. “It’s about who we are in the world—and who we’re willing to leave behind.”