The State Department will cut USAID programs by more than 90%

On Wednesday, the State Department announced massive budget cuts of more than 90% in overseas aid and development programs run by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

"At the conclusion of a process led by USAID leadership, including tranches personally reviewed by the Secretary (Marco Rubio), nearly 5,800 allocations with a remaining value of $54 billion were identified for elimination under the U.S. First agenda, amounting to a 92% reduction," a State Department spokesman said.

The government review also targeted more than 9,100 grants involving foreign assistance, worth $15.9 billion. At the end of the process, 4,100 grants worth nearly $4.4 billion were identified for elimination, a 28% reduction.

"These common-sense eliminations will allow these offices, along with their contract and grant officers, to focus on remaining programs, find additional efficiencies, and tailor subsequent programs to the government's priorities," the spokesman added.

Vital medical treatment programs left out of cuts

Food assistance programs, vital medical treatment programs for diseases such as HIV and malaria, and those that support countries such as Haiti, Cuba, Venezuela, Lebanon, among others, have not been affected, according to the spokesman.

After his inauguration on Jan. 20, Trump signed an executive order to freeze funding for all foreign aid for 90 days, an evaluation period in order to make cuts to programs outside the policy agenda called "America First."

The review focused on multi-year assistance contracts awarded by USAID, with a large majority eliminated.