The directive follows President Donald Trump’s executive order Monday pausing new obligations and disbursements of foreign aid pending review.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned about a “very big bounty” on top Taliban leaders if they are holding more American hostages than was reported.

Two Americans remain in Taliban custody after a two-for-one prisoner exchange the Biden administration negotiated before departing the White House.

It is one of the first directives to be implemented after Trump signed a sweeping anti-trans executive order declaring only two sexes, male and female as assigned at birth.

US secretary of state Marco Rubio has ordered an immediate halt to work on virtually all existing foreign aid programmes pending a review into whether they are consistent with President Donald Trump’s policies, according to an internal cable seen by the Financial Times.

State Department staff were instructed to “suspend any application requesting an X sex marker” and to “suspend any application where the applicant is seeking to change their sex marker.”

The Senate has confirmed Marco Rubio as secretary of state, giving President Donald Trump the first member of his Cabinet. The vote was unanimous.

After taking the oath of office, Marco Rubio promised that every action taken by the State Department will be determined by the answers to three questions.

China's expanding footprint in Latin America is expected to be high on the agenda when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visits Panama next week on his first overseas trip since taking office, according to observers.

Washington — The Senate on Monday confirmed Marco Rubio as secretary of state, making him the first of President Trump's Cabinet nominees to win the approval of the upper chamber. The Senate confirmed Rubio in a 99 to 0 vote as his former colleagues in the Senate touted his qualifications for the job.

Trump’s priority involves re-establishing a ‘maximum pressure’ strategy on Iran, further reducing Tehran’s proxies, and diplomatically isolating the Iranian regime, while supporting Israel and advanci