One of U.S. President Donald Trump's primary targets in his second-term mission to eliminate waste and fraud in the government was USAID, a humanitarian aid organization formed in 1961.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the administration intended to cut 83% of USAID's programs. A study conducted in July 2025 determined that USAID had "significantly contributed to the reduction in adult and child mortality across low-income and middle-income countries over the past two decades," and if the administration's cuts were not reversed, "a staggering number of avoidable deaths could occur by 2030."
Given Trump's focus on USAID, claims about alleged wasteful spending have run rampant online, with some rumors stating USAID gave Nancy Pelosi's vineyards $14 milllion, or that former first daughter Malia Obama received $2.5 million. Further, critics of the Trump administration claimed the cuts to USAID affected the proliferation of a parasite that had been eradicated for decades.
We've collected 10 of the most popular claims we've looked into regarding USAID since February 2025. For further reading, check out Snopes' previous collection of USAID funding-related claims.
