President Donald Trump had recently stopped the financial assistance given to foreign countries through USAID through one of his orders. Now the US State Department has said in a recent statement that USAID has deviated from its original mission and a significant part of its funding is not in line with American interests. The USAID website has been taken offline, and employees have been locked out. Democratic lawmakers are voicing concerns in support of USAID and criticizing this abrupt and destructive approach.

The State Department said that President Donald Trump has appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio as Acting Administrator of USAID. It is noteworthy that the Trump administration has said that now the funding through USAID will be reviewed and rescheduled keeping in mind American interests.

Let’s take a closer look.

What did the US State Department say?

The State Department said in a statement that ‘The United States Agency for International Development’ was responsible for improving America’s interests abroad, but this agency has long deviated from its original mission.

It is now clear that a significant portion of the funding provided by USAID is not serving America’s interests. In such a situation, to regain control over it and understand the functioning of the agency, President Trump has appointed Foreign Minister Marco Rubio as its acting administrator.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will now inform Congress about it and review it, after which it will be rescheduled.

“We believe that USAID should work according to the America First agenda and we will ensure that the tax money of American citizens is not wasted”.

The US State Department

What is USAID?

USAID, i.e. The United States Agency for International Development USAID is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance. Founded in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, this agency oversees the administration of civilian foreign aid and development assistance. The mission of this organization is to work on issues of global health, economic development, disasters and democratic reform.

This agency currently works in more than 100 countries, in partnership with governments, NGOs and Private sector to advance sustainable development and U.S. Foreign Policy Objectives. This agency has many times advanced America’s foreign policy by helping to resolve humanitarian crises at the global level.

Why is USAID getting discontinued by Trump Administration?

The USAID Operations are getting discontinued because the Trump administration believes that the agency’s massive expenditure is not in the interest of America. On Monday morning, Trump ally and tech giant Elon Musk talked about the International Development Agency in a live session on X.

“It became apparent that what we have here is not an apple with a worm in it, what we have actually, just a ball of worms. You’ve got to basically get rid of the whole thing. It’s beyond repair.  We’re shutting it down.”

Elon Musk, Department of Government Efficiency, U.S. Government

Two top USAID Security Officials have been sent on leave:

The Trump administration sent two top security officials of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on leave on Sunday. This was done because these officials refused to provide classified sensitive information to government oversight teams of Tesla CEO Elon Musk in restricted areas.

Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has gained access to sensitive financial data, including social security and Medicare customer payment systems, on Saturday. This also includes intelligence reports.

However, initially, their team did not have the necessary security clearance to access that information. Therefore, USAID security officials John Voorhees and Deputy Brian McGill were legally bound to refrain from providing the information. Subsequently, the USAID website also has gone missing.

“The United States Agency for International Development has been run by a bunch of radical lunatics, and we’re getting them out and then we’ll make a decision on its future”

Donald Trump, President of the United States

However, the actions by Elon Musk led DOGE have not gone without criticism. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has heavily criticized Elon Musk’s actions and access inside the U.S. Government.

“ The people elected Donald Trump to be President — not Elon Musk, having an unelected billionaire, with his own foreign debts and motives, raiding US classified information is a grave threat to national security.”

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

The Trump administration states that the U.S. allocates approximately $40 billion annually to foreign aid and emphasizes the need to reassess and prioritize the nation’s key interests with careful consideration of every dollar spent.

According to U.S. State Department data, PEPFAR (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), initiated over 20 years ago by President George W. Bush and now halted by the Trump administration, led to a U.S. investment of over $110 billion in the global fight against HIV/AIDS, saving more than 25 million lives and preventing millions of infections, especially in African regions like Kenya, Zimbabwe.

As the USAID employees are locked out, on Sunday & Monday, A crowd assembled outside the headquarters, which was closed for the day, after employees were instructed via email to stay home. Among those gathered and applauding the lawmakers were numerous USAID staff members, some holding signs highlighting the agency’s life-saving work.

The abrupt turmoil due to discontinuation of USAID has left employees searching for answers, as they have received no information. Personal services contractors, who hold diplomatic passports and represent the agency, are supposed to receive a 15-day notice before termination, but that requirement has not been met.

“Trying to shut down the Agency for International Development by executive order is plain illegal, Elon Musk may get to be dictator of Tesla. And he may try to play dictator here in Washington, DC, but he doesn’t get to shut down the Agency for International Development.”

Sen. Chris Van Hollen

USAID has long served as a key instrument of U.S. soft power, addressing humanitarian crises, strengthening democracy, and advancing global health while simultaneously furthering American foreign policy objectives. By providing aid and fostering stability in strategic regions, it has helped bolster the U.S.’s global influence. However, with its discontinuation, the U.S. risks diminishing its diplomatic reach and credibility, potentially creating a vacuum that rivals may exploit to expand their own influence. The ongoing turmoil surrounding USAID’s future may ultimately play into the hands of those who seek to challenge U.S. leadership on the world stage.