USAID Faces Abrupt Shutdown by Trump and Elon Musk, Sparking Democratic Outcry
In an unexpected move, the Trump administration, alongside billionaire Elon Musk, initiated the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), igniting fierce opposition from congressional Democrats. The agency, pivotal in funding education and combating global issues like starvation and epidemics, has become the center of a significant political dispute.
The aggressive efforts to downsize President Donald Trump’s strategy to reduce and restructure the federal government saw Democrats attempting to access USAID’s headquarters on Monday. Their entry was blocked by security personnel, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared himself the acting administrator of the agency, despite its long-standing independence.
Amid Trump’s initial weeks in office, marked by broad governmental changes, the swift actions against USAID have emerged as a major point of contention. Democrats argue that this symbolizes the extensive influence Musk holds over Washington.
“Spent the weekend feeding USAID into the wood chipper,” Musk proclaimed on X.
Within weeks, USAID experienced significant turmoil: operations and funding halted, leadership and staff were reduced through furloughs and dismissals, and the agency’s website went offline. Lawmakers reported that the agency’s computer servers had been removed.
Trump stated to reporters, the closure of USAID “should have been done a long time ago,” asserting that he did not believe congressional approval was necessary for such an action.
Democratic lawmakers, supported by a few hundred advocates, committed to responding outside USAID’s headquarters. Federal officers and barriers prevented both employees and legislators from entering shortly after Musk announced, “We’re shutting it down.”
“This is a constitutional crisis we are in today,” declared Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy.
Maryland Democrat Jamie Raskin added, “We don’t have a fourth branch of government called Elon Musk. And that’s going to become real clear.”
Musk’s influence, reinforced by the budget-cutting Department of Government Efficiency, has led to the layoff of thousands of USAID employees and the shutdown of multiple global programs. This follows Trump’s comprehensive freeze on foreign assistance imposed two weeks into his presidency.
The United States, recognized as the largest provider of humanitarian aid worldwide, has seen decades of policy ensuring that humanitarian, development, and security assistance are central to building alliances and countering adversaries like China and Russia. However, Trump, Musk, and Republican members of Congress have targeted the U.S. foreign assistance program, criticizing it for alleged waste and promoting liberal social initiatives.
Despite foreign assistance comprising less than 1% of the U.S. budget, Trump accused the Biden administration of fraud without providing evidence, promising a report to follow.
“They went totally crazy, what they were doing and the money they were giving to people that shouldn’t be getting it and to agencies and others that shouldn’t be getting it, it was a shame, so a tremendous fraud,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
Democratic Resistance Intensifies
Lawmakers attempted to enter USAID’s offices in Washington to discuss the agency’s dismantling but were denied access by Department of Homeland Security officers and individuals identifying as USAID employees. One official informed them, “Elon Musk’s not here.”
Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland condemned the actions as an “illegal power grab” and “a corrupt abuse of power.”
“It’s not only a gift to our adversaries, but trying to shut down the Agency for International Development by executive order is plain illegal,” he stated.
Democrats have indicated that legal challenges are underway and have pledged to block Biden’s State Department nominations until the shutdown is reversed. However, with Republicans holding the majority in both the House and Senate following last November’s elections, Democrats face limited leverage.
Musk declared the agency’s closure early Monday while Secretary Rubio was attending a trip in Central America.
Rubio informed reporters in San Salvador that while he is the acting administrator of USAID, he has delegated his responsibilities to Peter Marocco. Marocco, a political appointee, previously faced staff protests during his brief tenure in the first Trump administration due to proposed program cuts and investigations that were criticized for hindering operations.
AP correspondent Julie Walker reports Elon Musk says President Donald Trump has ‘agreed’ USAID should be shut down.
Rubio emphasized that certain USAID programs would continue under the new management but argued that the agency had become unaccountable to both the executive branch and Congress.
Global Impact of USAID Shutdown
Conservative Republicans have consistently aimed to diminish USAID’s independent status, while Democrats have historically supported its autonomy. Established by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 during the Cold War, USAID was created to effectively counter Soviet influence abroad through foreign assistance, bypassing what was seen as the State Department’s excessive bureaucracy.
The Trump administration’s halt of foreign aid and targeting of USAID, which manages humanitarian, development, and security initiatives in around 120 countries, has led to the closure of numerous programs globally. This has resulted in furloughs, layoffs, and financial hardships for many.
Programs affected include an HIV/AIDS initiative launched by Republican President George W. Bush, recognized for saving over 20 million lives in Africa. Aid contractors reported millions of dollars in blocked medications and supplies. Other impacted initiatives provided education to Afghan schoolgirls under Taliban governance and monitored Ebola outbreaks in Uganda. A crisis monitoring program supported by USAID, credited with preventing a repeat of the 1980s famine in Uganda that killed up to 1.2 million people, has also been discontinued.
Additionally, several organizations are facing bankruptcy after being informed that USAID will not honor invoices for already approved and implemented global projects.
Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, highlighted the broader significance of USAID, stating, “There is a reason that USAID is an arm of American foreign policy, and it is because we understand that a stable world means a stable America.”
Recent Developments in USAID Operations
USAID employees reported that over 600 additional staff members were locked out of the agency’s computer systems overnight. Remaining personnel received emails indicating that, “at the direction of Agency leadership,” the headquarters building would be closed to agency staff on Monday, Feb. 3. The agency’s website was taken offline without prior notice.
Musk is spearheading an extensive civilian review of the federal government with Trump’s support. On X Spaces, Musk announced that after discussions with Trump, they agreed to shut down USAID.
“It became apparent that it’s not an apple with a worm in it,” Musk explained in his live session. “What we have is just a ball of worms. You’ve got to basically get rid of the whole thing. It’s beyond repair.”
Since Trump assumed office, appointees from his initial term like Marocco have placed over 50 senior officials on leave for undisclosed investigations, leading to a significant reduction in the agency’s leadership. When efforts were made to clear these allegations and reinstate the personnel chief, he was also placed on leave.
Over the past weekend, the Trump administration placed two top security chiefs at USAID on leave after they refused to hand over classified materials in restricted areas to Musk’s inspection teams, according to both current and former U.S. officials.
Musk’s DOGE team previously conducted a similar operation at the Treasury Department, accessing sensitive information such as Social Security and Medicare payment systems. The Washington Post reported that a senior Treasury official resigned due to Musk’s team accessing classified data.
Gomez Licon reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. AP writer Fatima Hussein in Washington contributed to this report.
