USAID funding

2025 - 2 - 4

When Musk and Trump Team Up, Who Needs USAID?

Elon Musk - Foreign Aid - Global Health - Humanitarian Crisis - Job Loss - Kenya - Trump Administration - USAID

A wild ride as Musk targets USAID—meet the global upheaval and job chaos that follows!

In a shocking twist of fate, recent reports revealed that USAID, the U.S. Agency for International Development, is facing an unprecedented shutdown under the watchful eye of Elon Musk and former President Trump. As employees were mysteriously sent home, the agency's website went dark, resembling the aftermath of a bad sci-fi movie! Thousands of contractors are scrambling to find jobs while crucial humanitarian assistance worldwide is on hold, leaving many vulnerable communities in the lurch. Imagine telling a group of starving children that help has been put on pause because the big boss decided to take a long vacation—talk about lack of communication!

The implications extend beyond the immediate chaos; global health and humanitarian programs are reeling from Trump's iceberg-like decision to freeze aid. With tons of aid sitting dormant in warehouses—food, medicine, and essential supplies—the question arises: how many will suffer from this sudden bureaucratic blunder? Non-profits are in a state of flux, struggling to adjust to this reality while grappling with the potential for increased fatalities due to this halt of support. Meanwhile, the dogs barking in the background could be a hint of the disorganization brewing among these organizations!

As international aid advocates lament the loss of one of the greatest symbols of global outreach, some experts question whether Musk’s new Department of Government Efficiency can even address the gaps left behind. Is this a colossal blunder, or perhaps a bold new direction in international relations? Where does Musk's penchant for 'disruption' meet the lived realities of people depending on aid? Finding the right balance between efficiency and compassion has never been more critical.

In an ironic twist, while some might consider USAID 'rotten,' the truth is that foreign aid ultimately establishes a soft power for the U.S., especially as Eastern rivals like China and Russia sharpen their teeth, ready to capitalize on any weaknesses. With the aid freeze, many fear it could provide an opening for these nations to garner goodwill among those left high and dry. Talk about an unintentional invitation to the neighbors for a barbecue! So while Musk reshapes our tech landscape, let's hope he doesn't also redefine humanitarian support—because if there's one thing worse than a tech billionaire with a new vision, it's a world without support for those who need it most.

Interestingly, USAID has long been regarded as a cornerstone for humanitarian support globally, having provided billions in aid to countries in need. The ripple effects of its dissolution could be profound not only for those directly affected but also for the geopolitical fabric of international relations. While some may cheer on the disruptions, only time will tell if this bold move is a step forward—or if we’re just stepping back into the dark ages of diplomacy.

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Image courtesy of "BBC News"

Musk says USAID to shut down as employees told to stay home (BBC News)

The international aid agency's website is down and security officials were put on leave, US media reports.

Non-Profits, NGOs, Overseas Staff, and the DOGE Shake-Up at ... (Littler Mendelson PC)

On January 25, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order establishing the Department of Government Efficiency under Elon Musk.

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Image courtesy of "CNN"

What USAID does, and why Trump and Musk want to get rid of it (CNN)

Dozens of senior officials put on leave. Thousands of contractors laid off. A freeze put on billions of dollars in humanitarian assistance to other ...

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Image courtesy of "SciDev.Net"

Global aid sector reeling as Trump dismantles USAID (SciDev.Net)

[LONDON/ IDLIB, SYRIA] Global health and humanitarian programmes have been thrown into disarray after Trump issued a temporary freeze on funding for almost ...

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Image courtesy of "The Guardian"

Deaths predicted amid the chaos of Elon Musk's shutdown of USAid (The Guardian)

The impact of the billionaire's declaration has been swift and brutal, with food and crucial drugs abandoned in warehouses, vital programmes closed and ...

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Image courtesy of "Kaiser Family Foundation"

What is happening to USAID? (Kaiser Family Foundation)

As has been reported, President Trump and others in his administration would like to dissolve USAID, U.S. agency for international development, ...

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Image courtesy of "ICTworks"

An Obituary for USAID: an Icon of Global Development - ICTworks (ICTworks)

USAID died this weekend. We will mourn the Agency's passing as humanitarian crisis happen around the world with no American response.

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Image courtesy of "FDD"

USAID was rotten, but Trump needs the 'soft power' of foreign aid ... (FDD)

By abruptly shuttering the US Agency for International Development (USAID) only two weeks after returning to Washington, President Trump is signaling that ...

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Image courtesy of "Columbia Journalism Review"

USAID and the Media in a 'Time of Monsters' (Columbia Journalism Review)

What the aid funding freeze means for independent journalism around the world. February 4, 2025 By Jon Allsop. Employees and supporters protest outside the ...

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Image courtesy of "CNN"

Gutting of USAID could cost thousands of American jobs (CNN)

The Trump administration's freeze of foreign aid and dismantling of the agency that oversees it is putting at risk thousands of jobs in the US and abroad, ...

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Image courtesy of "Business Standard"

Changing ties: USAID funding to India on the decline since pandemic (Business Standard)

As American President Donald Trump's decision to re-evaluate and realign his country's foreign aid is sending the world into a tizzy, data from the United ...

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Image courtesy of "Center for Economic and Policy Research -"

Where Does the Money Go? A Look at USAID Spending in Haiti (Center for Economic and Policy Research -)

Discover the significance of USAID spending in Haiti and its implications for US foreign policy. Get expert analysis from Jake Johnston.

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Image courtesy of "NBC News"

What cutting USAID could cost the U.S. — and how China, Russia ... (NBC News)

Concerns are growing in Washington that abruptly halting assistance from the U.S. Agency for International Development “opens up a window for China and ...

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Image courtesy of "Kaiser Family Foundation"

10 Things to Know About U.S. Funding for Global Health | KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation)

In some years, on top of regular appropriations, global health funding is also provided through emergency supplemental funding to address disease outbreaks, but ...

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Image courtesy of "CNN"

How the US foreign aid freeze is intensifying humanitarian crises ... (CNN)

Food distribution is being stopped. Health services are being shut down. Lifesaving aid is being tied up, with no way to disburse it.

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Image courtesy of "Foreign Policy"

As Epidemics Spread, Abolishing USAID Is an Illegal Disaster (Foreign Policy)

On Jan. 20, as U.S. President Donald Trump was being inaugurated in Washington, D.C., some 8,000 miles away in Dar es Salaam, the government of Tanzania was ...

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Image courtesy of "NPR"

Trump administration prepares to withdraw USAID staff from ... (NPR)

"We are being tasked to assist the Department in recalling USAID employees to the United States by Saturday," State Department official Seth Green wrote in ...

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Image courtesy of "The Star, Kenya"

USAID sends all global staff on leave (The Star, Kenya)

In Summary. USAID clarified that the leave will apply to all direct-hire personnel. Those exempted include designated staff responsible for mission-critical ...

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Image courtesy of "The Star, Kenya"

USAID sends all global staff on leave (The Star, Kenya)

All American citizens working with USAID will be recalled from overseas assignments. image. by JAMES MBAKA. Realtime05 February 2025 - 10:01.

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Image courtesy of "BBC News"

USAID staff will be put on leave starting on Friday (BBC News)

The move is the latest in a string of cuts President Donald Trump has made to government-funded programs since returning to office last month. Many have argued ...

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Image courtesy of "Center For American Progress"

How Trump's Attack on USAID Undermines American Leadership ... (Center For American Progress)

President Donald Trump's MAGA plan to gut America's low-cost, high-impact foreign assistance programs to help fund tax cuts for the ultrawealthy is a blow ...

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Image courtesy of "The Conversation AU"

In freezing foreign aid, the US leaves people to die – and allows ... (The Conversation AU)

A$95 billion worth of USAID programs have been brought to a screeching halt. It's a devastating decision for developing nations, but also for US foreign ...

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Image courtesy of "The New York Times"

As Elon Musk Dismantles USAID, Foreign Leaders Rejoice (The New York Times)

Leaders in Russia, Hungary and El Salvador welcomed the Trump administration's assault on U.S.A.I.D., which many authoritarians have seen as a threat.

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Image courtesy of "NBC News"

Trump's USAID overhaul halts global aid, some food and medicine ... (NBC News)

President Trump's mission to upend the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, has left lifesaving food and medicine stuck in ports and ...

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Image courtesy of "Nairobi Law Monthly"

Drying USAid taps should trigger funding model rethink - Nairobi ... (Nairobi Law Monthly)

Over the last few days, there have been fears that various Kenyan projects funded by USAid are at risk of a funding freeze following an executive order ...

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Image courtesy of "BBC News"

What is USAID and why does Donald Trump want to end it? (BBC News)

The US aid agency spends billions around the world on humanitarian support - but its future is in doubt.

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Image courtesy of "American Friends Service Committee"

Shutting down USAID makes the U.S. less safe (American Friends Service Committee)

Within days of taking office, the Trump administration ordered a freeze of all foreign assistance, except military aid and special highly militarized emergency ...

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Image courtesy of "WIRED"

The Collapse of USAID Is Already Fueling Human Trafficking and ... (WIRED)

The dismantling of USAID by Elon Musk's DOGE and a State Department funding freeze have severely disrupted efforts to help people escape forced labor camps ...

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Image courtesy of "National Catholic Reporter"

Exclusive: Catholic Relief Services lays off staff, cuts programs after ... (National Catholic Reporter)

An internal email says CRS is likely to be cut in half this year from Trump's freeze of U.S. foreign assistance. Cuts will "cost people's lives and ...

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Image courtesy of "The Associated Press"

USAID is going away. Here's what it's been doing in South America (The Associated Press)

The dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development will deliver a major blow to efforts including humanitarian assistance in Colombia, ...

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Image courtesy of "Foreign Policy"

Trump, Musk's USAID Shutdown, Explained (Foreign Policy)

The Trump administration on Monday said it is merging USAID with the State Department, a move that came amid days of turmoil at the agency and statements by ...

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Image courtesy of "Citizen Digital"

Over 40000 Kenyans jobless after USAID-funded health facilities ... (Citizen Digital)

Nearly 40000 Kenyans whose jobs are supported by the USA government aid are staring at possible job losses following the government's move to shut down ...

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