Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Monday that he is acting administrator the US Agency for International Development, confirming the de-facto takeover of the humanitarian agency by the State Department.

The U.S. Agency for International Development is the world's largest foreign aid agency, spending more than $40 billion in fiscal 2023.

Statements by Trump and Rubio show the administration is continuing its efforts to sideline the development aid agency’s autonomy.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told Panama’s president that the country must reduce Chinese influence over the Panama Canal area or face potential retaliation from the Trump administration.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday welcomed Panama's decision to let its participation in China's global infrastructure plan expire, calling the move "a great step forward" for its ties with the United States.

America's top diplomat said Panama must act or the US would take necessary measures to protect its rights under a treaty between the two countries. The warning follows President Donald Trump's vow to retake the canal and a meeting between Rubio and Jose Raul Mulino,