Shockwaves hit the global aid community! USAID, the United States Agency for International Development, has been ordered to shut down by Friday. Elon Musk, calling it a ‘criminal organization,’ spearheaded the effort to dismantle it.
Mass recall begins
The State Department is scrambling. It must bring home thousands of USAID employees from over 100 countries. Two insiders told Reuters the recall is in full swing. Peter Marocco, a Trump appointee, issued the order. He told staff and their families to return to the U.S. immediately.
But there’s a catch! If the State Department fails, the U.S. military will evacuate them. CBS News confirmed this shocking contingency plan.
Washington in chaos
USAID headquarters in Washington, D.C., is no better. Employees received memos placing them on administrative leave. They can’t enter USAID buildings or use agency systems. They must stay available by phone and email during work hours.
Deputy Administrator Marocco wrote: “You are not to use your position or authority with USAID without prior permission.”
Some workers remain behind. Each department was ordered to keep a skeleton crew. Their job? Identify programs to be shut down.
President Trump has long targeted USAID. On his first day in office, he froze most foreign aid. His reason? To align spending with his ‘America First’ agenda.
Now, his administration is going further. It plans to merge USAID with the State Department. Some parts will survive under new management. Others will disappear forever.
Mass layoffs underway
Last week, dozens of USAID employees were put on leave. Hundreds of contractors lost their jobs. By Monday, things escalated.
Marco Rubio, acting Secretary of State, took over the agency. He called it ‘completely unresponsive.’ He slammed staff for refusing to answer questions.
In a letter to Congress, Rubio confirmed USAID’s fate. Some parts will be absorbed into the State Department. Others will be abolished completely.
Locked out and shut down
USAID workers logged in Monday morning—only to find themselves locked out. Those still with access received an email. It stated: “At the direction of Agency leadership, USAID headquarters will be closed on Monday, Feb. 3.”
The website? Gone! Attempting to visit USAID’s page now results in a dead link. The official site simply states: ‘This site can’t be reached.’
Security scandal!
Two top security chiefs at USAID resisted the shutdown. They refused to hand over classified material. Musk’s government inspectors demanded access.
John Voorhees and deputy Brian McGill stood their ground. They cited legal obligations. But Musk’s team eventually gained entry. They got their hands on highly sensitive intelligence reports.
Musk’s group, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), lacked proper clearance. Yet, they still accessed classified data. A former official confirmed the breach.
Musk strikes again!
Musk publicly attacked USAID. He called it ‘a ball of worms’ beyond repair. ‘We’re shutting it down,’ he announced on X.
He admitted speaking with Trump. They agreed: USAID had to go.
Trump later praised Musk’s crackdown. ‘Look at all the fraud he found!’ Trump said. ‘That money was going to groups that didn’t deserve it.’
End of an era
USAID once had over 10,000 employees, most serving overseas. Founded in 1961, it fought poverty, defended human rights, and strengthened democracy.
Last year, it managed over $40 billion in aid. That’s less than 1% of the federal budget. This year’s request? $28.3 billion.
Now, it’s all over. USAID is history.
