U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that Washington’s foreign policy and foreign assistance programmes would continue to be guided primarily by American national interests under the administration’s proposed fiscal year 2027 budget.
Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Rubio said the State Department had reshaped foreign assistance programmes to ensure they produced measurable outcomes and aligned with U.S. strategic priorities.
“The United States Government is not a charity,” Rubio told lawmakers. “We are here to win on behalf of the American people and on behalf of the national interest.”
His comments come amid growing concern among aid organisations and developing countries, including in Africa, over the future of U.S. assistance following significant reforms to foreign aid programmes since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025.
Rubio defended the changes, saying the previous aid model was ineffective and that remaining programmes were now operating under the strategic direction of the State Department.
He said Washington would continue providing assistance worldwide but would increasingly target countries and sectors considered important to U.S. interests.
The secretary also linked foreign policy more closely to economic competitiveness, border security, energy policy and access to critical resources, arguing that national strength depended on a country’s ability to control migration, manufacture essential goods and secure strategic supply chains.
Rubio said the administration had strengthened ties with several countries in the Western Hemisphere and sought to counter growing influence from China and other global powers in the region.
While he did not specifically address Africa during his opening remarks, his emphasis on strategic, outcome-based assistance is likely to be closely watched across the continent, where the United States has traditionally been a major provider of humanitarian, health and development aid.
The proposed State Department budget will now be considered by Congress, which has the authority to amend spending levels before approving final appropriations.
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