Washington, D.C. —
In a dramatic return to political power, Donald Trump began his second presidential term in January 2025, following a contested election he previously claimed was “rigged.” One of his first executive actions was to create a new federal agency — the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — and appoint South African-born entrepreneur Elon Musk to lead it.
Musk, known for his unorthodox leadership and high-profile business ventures, was tasked with identifying and eliminating what the Trump administration has labeled as “waste, corruption, and ideological capture” across government agencies. Since its inception, DOGE has launched sweeping audits of federal contracts, rapidly terminating programs and grants viewed as inefficient or politically motivated.
DOGE Investigations Reveal Wide-Ranging Foreign Programs
According to figures released on DOGE’s official site and amplified by the White House, federal agencies reviewed 8,639 contracts, terminating or modifying 1,076 of them, yielding approximately $188.5 million in savings. In just two days, 522 contracts with a ceiling value of $285 million were canceled, delivering $110 million in savings.
Among the canceled contracts were several USAID-funded international programs that the Trump administration described as emblematic of U.S. taxpayer dollars being used for “ideological experiments” overseas. Highlights of terminated foreign projects include:
- $10 million for a “Mozambique voluntary medical male circumcision” program
- $9.7 million grant to UC Berkeley for training Cambodian youth in entrepreneurship
- $2.3 million to “strengthen independent voices” in Cambodia
- $32 million to the Prague Civil Society Centre
- $40 million for a “gender equality and women’s empowerment hub”
- $14 million for “improving public procurement” in Serbia
- $486 million to the “Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening” (CEPPS), including:
- $22 million for “inclusive and participatory political processes” in Moldova
- $21 million to boost voter turnout in India
- $29 million to “strengthen the political landscape” in Bangladesh
- $20 million for “fiscal federalism” in Nepal
- $19 million for “biodiversity conservation” in Nepal
- $1.5 million to promote “voter confidence” in Liberia
- $14 million for “social cohesion” initiatives in Mali
- $2.5 million for promoting “inclusive democracies” in Southern Africa
- $47 million to improve education outcomes in Asia
- $2 million for a Kosovo-based recycling initiative aimed at marginalized communities
Also terminated were U.S. Department of Education grants totaling $373 million for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training, including one that encouraged teachers to “engage in ongoing self-reflection to confront their own biases and racism.”
Other canceled contracts included:
- $143,000 HHS contract for a “marijuana potency” project
- $276,000 Treasury contract for a “Kenya program coordinator”
- $228,000 for the monitoring of marijuana sample confiscation in Kenya, Uganda, Namibia, and Tanzania
- $181,000 USDA contract for a “technical climate advisor” in Central Africa
- $118,000 for a “Democratic Republic of Congo youth climate corps coordinator”
Critics Raise Concerns Over Motives and Strategy
While the administration touts these cuts as proof of wasteful spending and misplaced foreign priorities, critics argue they are politically driven and ideologically selective. Advocacy groups warn that abrupt cancellations of international aid and democratic development programs could weaken U.S. influence abroad and undermine civil society efforts in vulnerable regions.
“There is a difference between accountability and abandonment,” said one foreign policy analyst. “Many of these initiatives, especially those targeting voter participation, gender equity, and education, were long-standing tools of soft power.”
Meanwhile, Trump has publicly celebrated these cancellations. In a recent televised address, he read aloud a list of previously approved grants — including the Mozambique circumcision program and biodiversity projects in Colombia — describing them as “absurd,” “ideological,” and “not in the interest of the American taxpayer.”
As Musk’s DOGE initiative continues, its impact on U.S. foreign policy, global development, and domestic governance is likely to remain at the center of heated political and diplomatic debates.
