The US Agency for International Development (USAID) announced it is placing its staff in the US and globally on administrative leave, recalling employees from overseas postings. This move, part of a broader push by President Trump and billionaire Elon Musk to shrink the US government, has sparked controversy and protests from Democrats and human rights groups. Musk, a vocal critic of USAID, has accused the agency of harboring radical leftists and engaging in activities like funding bioweapon research. The agency, which funds health and emergency programs in over 120 countries, is considered a vital tool for US soft power.
WASHINGTON, DC – The US government’s giant humanitarian agency USAID on Tuesday announced it was placing its staff in the United States and around the world on administrative leave as it moved to recall employees from overseas postings.
It is seen as a vital source of soft power for the United States in its struggle for influence with rivals including China, where Musk has extensive business interests. The SpaceX and Tesla CEO — who has massive contracts with the US government and was the biggest financial backer of Trump’s campaign — said he had personally cleared the unprecedented move with the president.
As of 2023, the most recent year for which full data was available, the top three recipients of aid from USAID were Ukraine, Ethiopia and Jordan, according to the Congressional Research Service.
USAID TRUMP ELON MUSK GOVERNMENT REDUCTION HUMANITARIAN AID
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