The US Agency for International Development (USAID) headquarters was closed to agency personnel Monday, following a directive from agency leadership. In addition, its website and social media accounts went offline over the weekend. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that he is now acting director of USAID.
This comes after two top USAID security officials — John Voorhees and his deputy — on Sunday were placed on administrative leave after refusing to grant Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) personnel access to classified systems and secure areas within the agency headquarters.
Elon Musk, who is heading up DOGE, Monday during a conversation on X with prominent Republicans confirmed the efforts to shut down USAID and added that Pres. Donald Trump agreed that he had endorsed these efforts. Meanwhile, Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) suggested he would hold Trump's Dept. of State nominees until the USAID situation is "resolved.
The foreign aid bureaucracy wastes billions of taxpayer dollars and gives money to countries that don't even want the aid because they know it's going to do more harm than help. USAID is beyond repair and it's crucial that its funds be redirected toward the domestic priorities of the administration.
USAID plays a vital role in advancing US national security interests through humanitarian assistance, development programs, and crisis response worldwide. Dismantling the agency severely damages American global leadership and also violates federal law because Congress has already allocated the agency's funding.