USAID Website Taken Down as Trump Administration Suspends Foreign Aid
The Trump administration has yet to clarify its intentions regarding the potential dismantling of the agency or the plan to grant the State Department increased oversight of USAID.
On his first day in office, Trump instituted a 90-day freeze on all foreign aid. This executive order led to the temporary shutdown of thousands of programs and created significant staff reductions, affecting numerous employees.
Democrats in Congress have raised alarms about the prospect of USAID losing its independence if it becomes subordinate to the State Department. They emphasize the agency’s essential role in national security and contend that Trump does not possess the legal authority to abolish an independent agency funded by Congress.
In contrast, Trump and Republican lawmakers argue that many of the agency’s aid and development initiatives are inefficient and often promote left-wing political agendas.
Concerns regarding the administration’s intentions for USAID began surfacing shortly after it halted billions of dollars in U.S. security aid and humanitarian development. The U.S. is recognized as the largest donor of humanitarian assistance globally.
Founded by President John F. Kennedy amid the Cold War to counter Soviet influence, USAID plays a crucial role in U.S. efforts to counteract China’s expanding foreign influence.
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Kennedy enacted the Foreign Assistance Act in 1961, subsequently issuing an executive order that established USAID as an independent agency.
On Friday and Saturday, agency staff discussed the status of flags and signs outside the USAID headquarters in Washington, closely monitoring updates regarding their agency’s situation. As of February 1, both remained visible at the agency’s building.
“Developing countries would then ONLY be able to turn to China for assistance, leading them to strike more deals with Beijing, granting control over ports, critical mineral deposits, and other resources,” Murphy stated. “This will diminish U.S. power and result in job losses in America.”
Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, whom Trump designated to head the new Department of Government Efficiency, supported the idea of scrapping USAID.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has preserved several critical emergency programs during the freeze, although aid organizations report lingering confusion about which programs are permitted to continue.
In his inaugural public remarks on the situation, Rubio noted on January 30 that reviews of USAID’s programs aimed to eliminate those misaligned with U.S. national interests, without confirming if the agency would be dissolved.
He noted that halting some of these programs during the 90-day review led to the U.S. receiving “much more cooperation” from aid recipients.
The debate over the agency has divided Democrats and Republicans, who argue whether foreign aid bolsters national security by stabilizing allied nations or constitutes a waste of resources. Republicans have advocated for greater State Department control over USAID’s funding and policies, while Democrats have called for its independence.
During Trump’s initial term, he attempted to reduce the budget for foreign operations by a third. Following Congressional objections, his administration relied on freezes and other methods to impede the flow of funds appropriated by Congress for foreign programs.
Ultimately, the General Accounting Office, Congress’s investigative branch, determined that Trump violated the Impoundment Act.
This report was contributed to by the Associated Press.
