It Is Time for USAID to Die- Elon Musk

Tech billionaire and government adviser Elon Musk has called for the dissolution of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), labelling it a “criminal organisation” after reports surfaced that two senior security officials at the agency were placed on leave for blocking his representatives from accessing classified materials.

Musk, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), made the statement on his social media platform X, asserting that the agency’s time had come to an end.

“Time for it to die,” Musk wrote in response to the controversy.

The dispute arose after USAID’s Director of Security, John Voorhees, and his deputy, Brian McGill, denied members of DOGE access to restricted areas at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., citing their lack of security clearance. Despite the initial rejection, Musk’s representatives eventually gained access to areas containing classified information, according to multiple reports.

The White House, however, has denied claims that DOGE officials attempted unauthorised access. White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung dismissed the reports as “fake news.” Conversely, DOGE official Katie Miller acknowledged the confrontation but insisted that no classified material had been accessed without proper clearance.

The incident has fuelled speculation that the Trump administration is preparing to dismantle USAID altogether. Trump has already frozen most foreign aid, and on Saturday, USAID’s official website went offline, with only a minimal page appearing on the State Department’s website, suggesting a possible absorption into the foreign policy agency.

Democratic lawmakers and former USAID officials have condemned the developments, warning of the broader implications of Musk’s involvement in government affairs.

“President Trump spent two weeks harassing and laying off USAID employees, and now his team is trying to gut the agency altogether,” Senator Chris Coons of Delaware said on X. “These are patriotic Americans who promote our leadership around the world. They make us safer. Trump makes us less safe.”

Former USAID official Jeremy Konyndyk cautioned that eliminating the agency without congressional approval would be unconstitutional. “If this gambit succeeds—if Trump (or Elon) can just override Congressional statutes and funding mandates, and Congress acquiesces—it’s a very dark sign… and it won’t stop at USAID,” Konyndyk wrote on X.

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also raised concerns about Musk’s growing influence over government affairs, particularly after reports suggested that DOGE had gained access to the federal payment system, which contains sensitive personal data on millions of Americans.

“This is a five-alarm fire. The people elected Donald Trump to be president—not Elon Musk,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “Having an unelected billionaire, with his own foreign debts and motives, raiding US classified information is a grave threat to national security. This should not be a partisan issue.”

Amid the uproar, Trump reiterated his administration’s stance against USAID, vowing to purge the agency of what he called “radical lunatics” before deciding on its fate.

The former president also targeted foreign aid to South Africa, announcing that he would halt all future funding in response to land confiscation policies and alleged mistreatment of “certain classes of people.” His statement followed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent signing of a law allowing land expropriation without compensation in specific cases.

“The United States won’t stand for it; we will act,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, adding that the funding freeze would remain in effect until a “full investigation of this situation has been completed.”

The United States remains the world’s largest provider of foreign assistance, disbursing $72 billion across nearly 180 countries in 2023. However, foreign aid represents less than 1% of the federal budget, with some other nations contributing a larger share relative to their GDP.

If USAID were to be dismantled, it would mark a dramatic shift in U.S. foreign policy, potentially affecting global humanitarian efforts, international development projects, and America’s diplomatic influence abroad.

The controversy surrounding USAID’s future and Musk’s involvement in government decision-making continues to fuel intense debate in Washington, with lawmakers and policy experts closely watching how the situation unfolds.

Source: Al Jazeera