Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who leads President Donald Trump's federal cost-cutting initiative, announced plans to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) as part of a broader effort to shrink the government.
Speaking on a social media talk on X early Monday, Musk described USAID as "beyond repair" and confirmed that President Trump supports the decision. Musk, who also heads Tesla and SpaceX, was joined in the discussion by former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and Senators Joni Ernst and Mike Lee.
The move comes as part of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the panel Musk leads to identify federal budget cuts. USAID, the world’s largest single donor, disbursed $72 billion in global assistance in fiscal year 2023, supporting programs ranging from women’s health and clean water to HIV/AIDS treatment and anti-corruption efforts.
Musk claimed the administration could cut $1 trillion from the U.S. deficit next year, citing alleged fraud in foreign aid, though he provided no evidence to support his claims.
The announcement follows reports that the Trump administration removed two top security officials at USAID over the weekend after they resisted DOGE representatives' attempts to access restricted areas within the agency.
USAID’s website remains offline, and concerns are mounting over the fate of critical humanitarian programs. Trump's "America First" policy, which includes a global freeze on most U.S. foreign aid, has raised alarms internationally, with refugee aid, landmine clearance, and HIV treatments at risk of elimination.
Musk’s expanding influence over government systems, including reported access to the U.S. Treasury’s payment infrastructure, has sparked criticism from lawmakers. Senator Peter Welch (D-VT), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, condemned Musk's access as a "gross abuse of power" and called for greater transparency.
Despite the backlash, Trump continues to back Musk's leadership. "He's a big cost-cutter," Trump said on Sunday. "Sometimes we won't agree with it... but I think he's doing a great job. He's a smart guy. Very smart."
Musk’s team has also reportedly taken control of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), locking career civil servants out of systems containing sensitive data on millions of federal employees.
Since returning to office 11 days ago, Trump has initiated a sweeping overhaul of the federal government, dismissing hundreds of civil servants and installing loyalists across key agencies.
Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces struck two cargo vessels overnight in the Ukrainian Black Sea port o...
Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut down its 1,200-kilometre East-West oil pipeline after it was hit by a drone attack, with Riyadh and Baghdad sayin...
Dubai’s property market has spent years climbing. Now, for the first time since 2021, prices are moving in the opposite direction. ...
Overnight Iranian strikes on an air base in Jordan damaged multiple U.S. aircraft and left one without a wing, American media reported. Meanwhile, explosions were heard across parts of southern Iran according to local media reports.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New Delhi on Friday to attend the weekend BRICS summit, amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict, joining a host of foreign dignitaries.
Ukrainian forces struck a Russian oil refinery in Siberia and a seaport in Dagestan in the past 24 hours, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. He will meet Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday to discuss air defences for Ukraine over winter.
A Russian strike on a gas station in Kyiv has killed two people, the city's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a statement on Telegram. In Russia, online marketplace Ozon has suspended operations in Saratov, southwestern Russia, following a drone strike on a warehouse in the region.
Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks drew the U.S. into Afghanistan, the Taliban is seeking a new relationship with Washington built on diplomacy, investment and trade, despite deep divisions between the former enemies.
Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces struck two cargo vessels overnight in the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Chornomorsk, the Interfax news agency reported on Saturday.
Dubai’s property market has spent years climbing. Now, for the first time since 2021, prices are moving in the opposite direction.
Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut down its 1,200-kilometre East-West oil pipeline after it was hit by a drone attack, with Riyadh and Baghdad saying the strike originated from Iraq.
Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella has formally ended all government peace negotiations with illegal armed groups, marking a dramatic shift in the country's security strategy and delivering on a central pledge from his election campaign.
Russian President Vladimir Putin used a series of high-level meetings ahead of the BRICS summit in New Delhi to reinforce Moscow's political and economic partnerships with countries across Africa and Asia. He also received backing from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bilateral cooperation.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment