A recent article in The Guardian by Andrew Roth details how Elon Musk and his DOGE team took control of USAID, shutting it down and calling it a “criminal organization” and “beyond repair.” The closure of USAID and freeze on aid threaten numerous NGOs and development contractors that rely on its funding for programs related to women’s health, clean water, HIV/AIDS treatment, sustainable energy, anti-corruption initiatives and other development and humanitarian programs.
Musk’s takeover has reportedly granted him and his allies’ access to classified intelligence and critical financial infrastructure. The move has sparked controversy and opposition, with some calling it unconstitutional and a power grab. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democrats pursued this matter with Secretary of State Rubio in a letter linked here.
The USAID internet site, usaid.gov, with all its material on USAID programs and regulations has been taken down. Only a statement placing all USAID direct hire employees on administrative leave as of Feb. 7, 2025, remains. Contractors, grantees, and recipients are scrambling to find downloaded policies and regulations to help them administer the stop work orders and suspensions. Very limited information about USAID is now available on a new page on the State Department’s website, which includes a press release about reevaluating and realigning U.S. foreign aid.
Read The Guardian article here.
