Protesters gathered outside USAID headquarters in Washington, DC on Monday. Getty Images
The Trump administration is reportedly planning to merge the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with the State Department, leading to growing concerns from lawmakers and agency employees. On Monday, USAID workers were told to stay home, and its headquarters in Washington was temporarily closed.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that he is now the acting head of USAID, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers. Many have called the decision unconstitutional, arguing that it could weaken U.S. global influence and harm international aid efforts.
President Trump and billionaire Elon Musk have both been vocal critics of USAID. Speaking to reporters, Trump claimed that the agency was run by “radical left lunatics” and accused it of corruption but did not provide any details.
USAID, created in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, has a workforce of around 10,000 employees and a budget of nearly $40 billion. It plays a key role in distributing aid worldwide, funding programs for disaster relief, economic development, and humanitarian assistance.
Secretary Rubio assured that some functions of USAID would continue but stressed that its work must align with American foreign policy. However, there is no clear plan on how this restructuring will be carried out.
Musk, who heads an unofficial cost-cutting initiative known as the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), has suggested that USAID will be shut down entirely. Over the weekend, two senior security officials at USAID were placed on leave, and the agency’s website was taken offline, making key resources like international famine trackers and aid records unavailable.
Democratic lawmakers have condemned these actions. Senator Chris Van Hollen called it an illegal decision that benefits U.S. adversaries. Congressman Johnny Olszewski raised concerns about security, citing reports that prison guards in Syria, responsible for containing ISIS fighters, nearly walked off the job after U.S. aid was frozen.
Some critics have questioned Musk’s involvement, pointing out his business ties to China. Senator Chris Murphy claimed, “Elon Musk makes billions from his business with China, and they are cheering at this decision.”
Musk’s role in this initiative has drawn legal questions, as Doge is not an official government agency. Despite this, Trump has given Musk broad authority to recommend cost-cutting measures. Trump defended Musk’s actions, stating, “Elon can only let go of people we approve of, and he won’t do anything without our agreement.”
Musk has made multiple claims about USAID, calling it corrupt and ineffective. He even referred to it as a “radical-left political psy-op” in a series of posts on X, the social media platform he owns.
As the situation unfolds, multiple USAID officials have either resigned or been placed on leave. The future of the agency remains uncertain, leaving many concerned about how the changes will affect global aid efforts.
