Rubio: "I Am The Acting Director Of USAID"

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Monday that he is the new acting head of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in an attempt to end "insubordination" at the agency, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

"I am the acting director of USAID", Rubio,who is currently traveling in five Central American countries, told reporters, adding that the U.S. agency had failed to respond to questions and that "this level of insubordination makes it impossible to conduct a serious review" of its activities.

The State Department, in a media note, explained that the USAID "has long strayed from its original mission of responsibly advancing American interests abroad, and it is now abundantly clear that significant portions of USAID funding are not aligned with the core national interests of the United States."

"As an interim step toward gaining control and better understanding over the agency’s activity, President Donald J. Trump appointed Secretary Marco Rubio as Acting Administrator," the Department said.

Rubio has also now notified Congress that a review of USAID’s foreign assistance activities was underway with an eye towards potential reorganization, according to the media note.

"As we evaluate USAID and ensure it is in alignment with an America First agenda and the efforts of the State Department, we will continue to protect the American people’s interests and ensure their tax dollars are not wasted," the Department concluded.