Sat Feb 08 20:21:00 UTC 2025: ## Trump-Musk’s Assault on USAID Sparks International Outcry

**Washington D.C., February 9, 2025** – President Donald Trump and his advisor Elon Musk are facing intense criticism for their sweeping efforts to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). In a move that has stunned international observers, the pair have frozen all foreign funding for 90 days and initiated drastic cuts to the agency’s workforce, reducing its 10,000 employees to a planned 294. A court injunction has temporarily halted the latter measure.

The actions, justified by the administration as aligning with a “America First” policy, have targeted USAID’s funding of various programs, including a grant to an LGBTQ group in Serbia and aid to an electric vehicle manufacturer in Vietnam. Trump has also leveled unsubstantiated accusations of corruption, including a false claim that USAID shipped condoms to Gaza to be used as bombs.

The drastic cuts to the USAID, which manages $40 billion of the $68 billion in U.S. international aid, risk devastating humanitarian efforts across the globe. The agency’s activities range from famine prevention and education programs in Afghanistan to HIV/AIDS control in Africa (PEPFAR), and vital support for Ukraine. It operates in 130 countries.

While the White House criticizes the agency’s spending, the U.S. remains the world’s largest foreign aid contributor, though the proportion of its budget dedicated to aid (0.6% of $6.75 trillion) is not the highest among developed nations. Experts point out that the power to dissolve the USAID ultimately rests with Congress, not the executive branch. The agency was established in 1961 and gained independent status in 1998, allowing it to maintain humanitarian work even in countries with strained relations with the U.S.

Critics fear that the dismantling of the USAID will leave a significant power vacuum, potentially filled by China’s Belt and Road Initiative, though the initiative’s focus on infrastructure projects differs from the USAID’s broader humanitarian focus. The ultimate consequence, however, will be felt by vulnerable populations worldwide who rely on the USAID’s support. The ongoing legal challenges and international condemnation highlight the significant ramifications of this unprecedented attack on a long-standing pillar of U.S. foreign policy.

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