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.
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A high-powered lawyer representing Elon Musk attacked the personal and professional credibility of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on Thursday, as a landmark federal trial in California nears its conclusion.
A federal judge on 7 May ruled that the Trump administration’s cancellation of hundreds of humanities grants under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was unconstitutional and amounted to “blatant viewpoint discrimination”.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 29th of April, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Elon Musk took the stand on Tuesday (28 April) at a high-stakes trial over the future of OpenAI, casting his lawsuit against the ChatGPT maker as a defence of charitable giving.
Bulgaria has won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time, taking victory in a final overshadowed by a boycott over Israel’s participation and the war in Gaza.
The World Urban Forum (WUF13) continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 18 May, addressing the global housing crisis. The day’s agenda includes the official opening press conference, the WUF13 Urban Expo opening and a ministerial dialogue on the Nairobi Declaration to advance Africa's urban agenda.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he had paused a planned attack on Iran after appeals from the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, allowing negotiations to continue over a possible deal to end the conflict.
A 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck China’s Guangxi region early on Monday, killing two people and forcing more than 7,000 residents in Liuzhou to evacuate as rescue efforts continued.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), warning that the situation poses a significant risk of cross-border spread in Central Africa.
Two teenage gunmen opened fire on Monday at the Islamic Center of San Diego, California, killing a security guard and two other men outside the mosque before the suspects were found dead, apparently from self-inflicted gunshot wounds, police said.
At least four people have been killed in protests across Kenya over sharp fuel price rises, as a nationwide transport strike brought parts of the country to a standstill.
Gunmen killed at least 10 people, including women and children, in an attack on a rural community in Nigeria’s northwestern Katsina State, residents said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to China is expected to focus on strengthening bilateral ties, particularly through expanded trade and economic cooperation.
Israeli military strikes across Gaza killed at least eight Palestinians on Sunday, according to local health officials, as the Israel Defense Forces intensified operations targeting Hamas commanders and infrastructure across the enclave.
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