USAID's future hangs in balance amid shutdown efforts led by Trump, Musk

The United States Agency for International Development has long been a target for conservative critics who say it spends wastefully and promotes progressive ideas that contradict American interests.

In recent weeks, President Donald Trump and Elon Musk have taken steps to close it. The agency now faces the prospect of being folded into the State Department under the direction of Marco Rubio, the secretary of state. The agency has been established since 1961, focusing on delivering humanitarian relief for generations. However, the agency – which addresses global health crises, responds to disasters and alleviates poverty, has faced scrutiny in recent years.

USAID's mission is to provide humanitarian aid and promote sustainable development in countries recovering from disasters or experiencing conflict and poverty. It focuses on improving education and health outcomes, supporting economic growth, and helping build peace and stability in conflict zones. 

Some of the most visible and critical programs run by USAID include efforts to combat global diseases like HIV/AIDS and malaria and initiatives to provide food, water, and shelter in regions devastated by natural disasters or war. In Uganda, Nigeria, and Zambia, USAID is involved in extensive health initiatives such as maternal health services, vaccination drives, and disease surveillance.

USAID's support extends to disaster-stricken areas like Ukraine, where it helps provide humanitarian aid amidst ongoing conflict. In Somalia, the agency works on peace-building initiatives, while in Cambodia, it focuses on strengthening disease surveillance systems. USAID's efforts are integral to reducing mortality rates and promoting stability in these regions.

"We built out a network of 50-plus countries on every continent, developing what I've called the world's immune system - an ever-accelerating capacity to prevent, detect, and more rapidly respond to pandemic threats," said Dr. Atul Gawande, a senior USAID official. He emphasized how the agency has helped prevent, detect, and respond to global health threats, benefiting not only those countries but the U.S., which gains protection from international outbreaks.

Despite the vast scope of its work, USAID's budget accounts for a relatively small portion of the U.S. federal budget. In fiscal year 2023, the agency's total expenditures were approximately $38.1 billion, a mere one percent of the national budget. This modest figure makes it an easy target for cost-cutting measures, but the true value of the agency's work is far more difficult to quantify.

The USAID budget is part of a larger federal foreign aid allocation, and Congress funds the agency's activities. 

During the Trump administration, there were repeated calls to scale back or eliminate the agency. Some conservatives viewed USAID's international development programs as wasteful, questioning why U.S. taxpayer dollars should be spent on projects that benefit foreign countries, particularly those that might not align with American values.

Musk and other cost-cutting advocates, like Senator Marco Rubio, have also pushed for a reduction in foreign aid. Musk's Department of Government Efficiency has targeted USAID as part of broader efforts to reduce government spending. Rubio recently criticized USAID employees for allegedly prioritizing global charity over U.S. interests and suggested the agency's programs in areas like women's rights and climate resilience were incompatible with American values.

Supporters of USAID, including many Democratic lawmakers, say eliminating or reducing the agency would make the world more dangerous, as it would limit the U.S.'s ability to influence global stability and security. Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota argued such a move would be "a gift to China and Russia," countries already vying for influence in the developing world.

As Trump and Musk continue their calls to dismantle or defund the agency, its future remains uncertain.