(UPDATED) “President” Musk and His Puppet Trump Are Dismantling US Foreign Aid Programs Which Will Only Help Autocratic Governments Like China

BAHIR DAR, ETHIOPIA – DECEMBER 17: Volunteers at the Zanzalima Camp for Internally Displaced People unload 50 kilogram saks of Wheat flour that were a part of an aid delivery from USAID on December 17, 2021 in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. USAID started delivering food aid to the camp in September 2021 that currently houses over 5000 IDP’s. The IDP’s housed in this one camp hail from the cities of Dessie, Kombolcha, Hayk, Woldeyia and Sekota and came to the camp to escape the TPLF invasion of the Amhara and Afar regions which is said to be responsible for the displacement of over 5 million people. (Photo by J. Countess/Getty Images)

Over the last three days the Musk/Trump/Vance Administration has taken potentially illegal steps to dismantle and eliminate USAID, the United States Agency for Foreign Development, the leading source for foreign aid to countries that help save lives, deliver food and basic necessities, develop local regions, disaster relief, and serve as a beacon for American interests and ideals like Democracy.

U.S. Foreign aid, which amounts to about one percent of the total federal budget (about 40 to 50 billion dollars) has long been a source of condemnation by uninformed and uneducated MAGA voters who feel things would be better for them in the United States if the nation did not allocate so much for foreign aid.

These voters obviously feel the U.S. allocates more for foreign aid than it actually does.

President Musk and his DOGE SS, most if not all of whom lack security clearance, have moved to take over USAID headquarters, shut down its website, put its officials on leave or remote work from home, and launched a public relations propaganda war filled with misinformation and outright lies like this post from Musk himself:

In reporting from NPR, Musk said that he has the support of his puppet, Mr. Trump, saying:

“None of this could be done without the full support of the president, you know. And with regard to the USAID stuff, I went, went over it with him, you know, in detail, and he agreed with that we should, we should shut it down,” he said.

These unilateral moves without Congressional approval is undoubtedly illegal and will probably wind up, like so many other early Musk/Trump/Vance moves in the courts.

What this reactionary move does do is make countries look to autocrats like the ones in China who have devoted considerable resources to their own foreign aid programs over the last several years, especially in the developing regions of the planet.

It also helps repressive regimes like Russia who can boast that America is not the beacon of hope that they said they were.

Reaction among the sane in the political world has been swift.

Arizona Senator Mark Kelly issued a press release condemning the Musk-Trump actions, stating:

“USAID programs prevent pandemics, wars, and starvation. Doing away with this agency or severely undermining its capacity will not just hurt people, it will also push countries that receive our help into the arms of our adversaries, making us less safe.”

“This is a reckless decision that goes directly against U.S. interests.”

Arizona Representative Yassamin Ansari appeared at the USAID offices today, offering her support for the agency, making these two posts:

“This is a reckless decision that goes directly against U.S. interests.”

Former Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul posted:

He also posted:

New Jersey Senator Corey Booker posted:

Ranking Member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Jeanne Shaheen posted:

Representative Melanie Stansbury focused on Musk’s lack of authority to close USAID, posting:

To all the MAGA or swing voters out there who think this is a good thing. It is not and it will not put America First. It will only elevate the country’s adversaries like China.


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