During a recent Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced strong criticism of what he termed the U.S. "foreign aid industrial complex."
His remarks highlighted his dissatisfaction with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and its inefficiencies in channeling funds to those in dire need.
According to Breitbart, Rubio's critique was pointed, as he called for comprehensive reforms within USAID. "At USAID, 12 cents of every dollar was reaching the recipient. That means that in order for us to get aid to somebody, we had to spend all this other money supporting this foreign aid industrial complex," Rubio stated.
He emphasized the necessity of finding more effective methods to deliver aid directly, with a focus on regional bureaus and impactful programs. This approach, he argued, should be integrated into a broader foreign policy strategy.
While Rubio assured that the U.S. would continue to provide substantial foreign aid, he insisted on overhauling the bureaucratic processes involved. "We still will provide more foreign aid, more humanitarian support, than the next 10 countries combined and far more than China," he asserted, countering claims that the U.S. is relinquishing its soft power to China. He criticized China's approach, stating, "China doesnt do humanitarian aid. China does predatory lending."
Rubio also acknowledged internal efforts to drive reform, noting, "Many of the reforms weve made were driven by people inside the buildingmany of whom have worked there for 20 or 30 years." He underscored the need for the State Department to reclaim its central role in American foreign policy, which he argued had been overshadowed by other government entities like the National Security Council.
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