Elon Musk has announced that he and President Donald Trump are working together to shut down the foreign aid agency USAID, claiming that the organization is “beyond repair.”
Trump has never shied away from making bold and controversial decisions, and since his return to the White House two weeks ago, he has been signing executive orders at an unprecedented pace. In fact, he set a record for the most executive orders signed on his first day back in office. Among the policies he has enacted are increased tariffs on imports from China, Canada, and Mexico, as well as adjustments to passport regulations and immigration policies.
Now, Musk—who is actively involved in the Trump administration—has taken to Twitter to discuss the plan to dismantle USAID. During a conversation with Republican senators Joni Ernst and Mike Lee, along with former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, Musk stated: “It’s [USAid] beyond repair. He [Trump] agreed we should shut it down.”
The billionaire further explained his stance, saying: “It became apparent that it’s not an apple with a worm it in. What we have is just a ball of worms. You’ve got to basically get rid of the whole thing.”
His remarks come shortly after two high-ranking security officials at USAID were placed on leave for allegedly refusing to share classified documents with Musk’s team, according to the Associated Press.
Reports indicate that Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE, successfully obtained access to those materials on Sunday, February 2.
Replying to a post about the situation, Musk didn’t hold back, stating: “USAid is a criminal organization. Time for it to die.”
What is USAid?
USAID, which employs approximately 10,000 people, stands as the largest single provider of humanitarian aid worldwide. In the fiscal year 2023 alone, it allocated over $40 million to global relief efforts.
Funding decisions for the agency are made by Congress, with the majority of its budget directed toward international aid and nonprofit organizations. Its initiatives support critical causes such as women’s healthcare in conflict zones, clean water access, and HIV/AIDS treatment programs.
Meanwhile, Democratic Senator Peter Welch has demanded clarification regarding why Musk required access to sensitive data, including taxpayer information.
Despite the controversy, former President Trump has publicly backed Musk, recently telling reporters: “He’s a big cost-cutter. Sometimes we won’t agree with it and we’ll not go where he wants to go. But I think he’s doing a great job. He’s a smart guy. Very smart. And he’s very much into cutting the budget of our federal budget.”
Can Donald Trump actually shut down USAid?
Donald Trump could significantly scale back USAID through executive action, but completely shutting it down would almost certainly require congressional approval.
USAID was originally established in 1961 under President John F. Kennedy and later became an independent agency in 1998, meaning its existence is rooted in legislation. While a president can issue executive orders to cut funding, reorganize operations, or impose restrictions, outright dismantling the agency would likely require Congress to pass new legislation.
According to Just Security, any attempt to shrink USAID would face legal and legislative pushback: “Litigation and congressional oversight are certain to follow, but the question is how effective either will be in the immediate term at stopping the most damaging impacts for USAID’s programs and its employees.”
Challenges could include lawsuits from program beneficiaries, legal actions related to the Impoundment Control Act, and broader resistance from lawmakers. Ultimately, while Trump could weaken USAID’s reach, fully shutting it down would be an uphill battle.
