It’s perhaps premature to accuse Elon Musk of having a direct role in closing down one of the most vital foreign aid agencies in the U.S., but believe me, it’s bound to happen.
Under Musk’s directive, operations at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have come to a grinding stop. Thousands of its administrators, workers, and contractors find themselves out of work, with its programs halted indefinitely and even its website taken offline.
“We’re shutting it down,” Musk announced on Monday. “You have to essentially dismantle the entire thing. It’s beyond repair.”
I suspect that Musk, who, without being elected or appointed, has taken the reins on cutting federal spending along with President Trump, assumes that most Americans aren’t really bothered by international affairs. After all, voters were in an isolationist mood when they handed Trump another term. Many of us are only vaguely aware of USAID, an agency that delivers humanitarian aid to nations suffering from conflict, disease, and natural disasters globally. With a sizeable budget of about $40 billion, USAID stands as the world’s largest supplier of food assistance—which, in simple terms, rescues malnourished infants.
However, think again—Americans do care. On Wednesday, pro-USAID rallies emerged at state capitals nationwide. In Washington, D.C.—home to USAID and many of its employees and contractors—thousands gathered to protest Musk’s abrupt and potentially unlawful action.
Some might question the agency’s role, but it’s more instructive to ask, what doesn’t it do? Established during Kennedy’s administration to counteract Soviet influence, USAID has supported Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, ensured free and fair elections, and, through partnerships in 100 countries, has alleviated poverty, hunger, illness, and desolation. It funds independent foreign media and civil society activists, promoting global freedom and security. All these efforts have been put on hold.
The New York Times revealed that the Trump administration’s directive to suspend all USAID-funded activities leaves myriad individuals “with experimental drugs and devices in their bodies without access to monitoring or care.”
Like any large organization, USAID isn’t free from waste, fraud, and abuse issues. Its inspector general recently expressed concerns about insufficient United Nations cooperation and proposed reforms.
Nonetheless, USAID represents American soft power. It’s arguably our most effective peaceful means to enhance people’s lives, profess democratic ideals, and counteract China’s growing clout in Africa and South America.
As you might expect, autocrats worldwide are delighted to witness USAID’s dismantling.
Reported by the Associated Press, “Within the billions the U.S. annually allocates to foreign aid—more than any other nation—are countless grants for grassroots groups championing democracy in authoritarian regions.” The agency’s shutdown has received favorable reactions from countries like Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Russia. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev remarked on social media, hoping the ‘notorious Deep State’ doesn’t retaliate against Musk for terminating the agency.
Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s strategy for Trump’s second administration, dedicates an entire section to USAID, accusing Biden’s administration of letting it push a “radical” and “divisive” political agenda, involving controversial topics like abortion and climate policies. Yet, despite such exaggerated claims, Project 2025 concedes the agency’s critical role “in countering Communist China’s world domination plans.”
Musk labeled USAID a “criminal” and “evil” entity, while Trump described it as run by “a bunch of radical lunatics.”
But that’s nonsense, given we’re living in an almost surreal, backward reality.
“The notion that this is a criminal operation? That’s absurd,” stated Peter Kerndt, a public health physician who spent five years in Mozambique with a USAID contractor aimed at curbing tuberculosis. His work involved identifying, tracing, and treating those infected with this lethal disease. On January 28, he was unceremoniously let go.
“It feels like a gut punch,” reminisced Kerndt, who after 29 years with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, transitioned to USAID. “How unaware Musk is of the groundwork being done. The world’s wealthiest has other motives, I presume.”
Well, does he?
Senator Chris Murphy speculated as much in an Instagram video Tuesday night. According to the Connecticut Democrat, Musk—whose business heavily depends on government contracts—is merely trying to “line his pockets.” Noting that Musk manufactures half of his Teslas in China, now his largest foreign market, Murphy suggests that dismantling USAID could curry favor with the Chinese government, given its recent tensions over autonomous vehicles.
USAID’s inspector general was also probing the use of Musk’s SpaceX Starlink satellite systems, financed by USAID, in Ukraine’s conflict with Russia, although details remain vague. According to biographer Walter Isaacson, Musk once disabled the Ukrainian military’s Starlink access in a bid to thwart an assault on Russia—a staggering amount of power for just one person.
Critics targeting USAID for its so-called “woke” agenda should recognize the irrefutable truth: the agency does crucial, life-saving work.
I queried Dr. Kerndt on why Americans should care about combating tuberculosis, often fatal if untreated and without a vaccine.
“TB impacts the young and healthy,” he replied. “It’s devastating for individuals, breadwinners, and families, pushing them deeper into poverty. Yet it’s preventable at minimal cost. It’s a source of immense U.S. respect.”
Abandoning such noble efforts at the behest of a capricious billionaire will inflict a long-lasting moral blemish on our nation.
Bluesky: @rabcarian.bsky.social. Threads: @rabcarian
