Let’s get this out of the way: this is what we voted for, and it’s something that’s beyond refreshing. Despite reports of an overhaul, USAID has been virtually decapitated. Its functions were incorporated into the State Department, with a large swath of staffers destined to be furloughed in the coming days. The era of waste and relief aid going to cockamamie DEI nonsense is over. Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency, acting on orders of President Donald J. Trump, rolled in like the Golden Horde and exposed a web of wasteful spending that’s likely to be a preview of even worse fraud, waste, and abuse at agencies with more significant budgets.
🚨RUBIO: USAID rife with “rank insubordination” — “we had no choice but to take dramatic steps to bring this thing under control.”
“They have basically evolved into an agency that believes that they’re not even a U.S. government agency…they’re completely unresponsive. They… pic.twitter.com/LQOKRDUlBk
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) February 4, 2025
Pure fire from new acting director of USAID Marco Rubio:
“Every dollar we spend will be aligned with the national interest of the United States. USAID has a history of ignoring that and deciding that they’re a global charity. These are not donor dollars, these are taxpayer… pic.twitter.com/a0aTtgoiw6
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 3, 2025
The Left’s main talking point is that USAID isn’t a huge budget item. That’s not the point: if this much nonsense was uncovered within this little agency, what else does the government have in store for us and the American taxpayer? DOGE’s mission has never been more popular or necessary, enforced with the full backing of the Trump White House. As of now, all USAID staff are set to be on leave. Additionally, all USAID overseas missions are to fold up shop by this Friday (via Politico):
The Trump administration is making moves to place nearly all of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Washington-based staff on paid administrative leave, according to a USAID official and a person familiar with the situation.
The move affects thousands of people and is the latest blow the administration is striking against the agency, which is America’s primary vehicle for providing humanitarian aid. Tech mogul Elon Musk, a Trump ally running an initiative aimed at downsizing the government, has made USAID a particular target.
A person familiar with the situation said some 1,400 people will be notified Tuesday, on top of about 600 who were placed on leave starting Sunday night. That amounts to the majority of Washington-based staff — many of them civil and Foreign Service officers, the person said. The action was approved by Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s team, the individual added. The person was granted anonymity because of the sensitivity of the personnel moves.
A senior USAID official, who was granted anonymity because they feared reprisal, said the agency’s human resources department said in a meeting Tuesday morning that it had already revoked system access for more than 1,400 staffers — an indication that many more are being put on leave than those previously announced.
NEWS: USAID missions overseas were told to shut down and all staff are being recalled to the US by Friday, multiple sources tell @CBSNews. New USAID Deputy Admin Peter Marocco told State Dept leadership today if they didn’t do it they’d be evacuated by the military, per sources
— Sara Cook (@saraecook) February 4, 2025
The moment Democratic Housemembers and Senators tried access the USAID building today, amid news the State Dept. is taking control of the agency, but were denied.
Elon Musk continues to to push for a full end to USAID. pic.twitter.com/sOWWyCinUr
— Joe Khalil (@JoeKhalilTV) February 3, 2025
CBS News quoted a former USAID official who said the recent changes weren’t an overhaul but a destruction:
Former USAID Global Health director Dr. Atul Gawande criticized the Trump administration’s plan to merge the United States Agency for International Development into the State Department and the funding freezes that are putting key aid programs in jeopardy. Asked about the changes, he said, “It’s not an overhaul. It’s a destruction.”
We don’t care. The gravy train days are over, and you guys lost. This move was indeed something out of The Sopranos. USAID got the Phil Leotardo treatment:
Salute!
RIP. pic.twitter.com/F3UVSyuSUb
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) February 4, 2025
