Is USAID on the brink of disappearing? What to know about Elon Musk's 'war' with the foreign aid agency

Before taking office again as president, Donald Trump Donald Trump expected Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to assess federal spending. Their efforts recently clashed with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which oversees billions in international aid and now faces potential elimination.

The situation began on Saturday when USAID's official account was deleted from X, followed by reports that 'dozens' of its employees had been furloughed. With little initial information, CNN and the Associated Press reported that the agency was in direct conflict with DOGE.

It turns out that some senior officials attempted to block DOGE personnel from accessing their networks to verify certain records. According to the Associated Press, both officials were placed on leave by the Trump administration. "Members of the Musk Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, finally gained access Saturday to the aid agency's classified information, which includes intelligence reports," the outlet reported. 

"It's time for it to die"

Musk himself weighed in on USAID's future, leaving little doubt about his stance. The billionaire took to X, calling the agency a "criminal organization" and declaring, "It's time for it to die." 

"Did you know that USAID, using YOUR tax dollars, funded bioweapon research, including COVID-19, that killed millions of people? (...) USAID was a viper’s nest of radical-left marxists who hate America," Musk added.

Regarding USAID’s future, Politico initially reported that the Trump administration was seriously considering merging the agency with the State Department, led by Marco Rubio.

Congressman Brian Mast, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told CBS that the agency was likely to be "more closely led by the secretary of State." The goal, he explained, is to ensure "proper command and control" over these agencies.

According to Mast, between 10% and 30% of the funds USAID handles "actually" go to foreign aid.

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) chimed in on the discussion with a brief post on his X account. "Abolish USAID and all foreign aid," he wrote.

"At best, maybe 10% of the money gets to actual projects"

El Salvador's president, Nayib Bukele, jumped right into the controversy to sharply criticize USAID.

"Most governments don’t want USAID funds flowing into their countries because they understand where much of that money actually ends up. While marketed as support for development, democracy, and human rights, the majority of these funds are funneled into opposition groups, NGOs with political agendas, and destabilizing movements," Bukele posted on his X account.

"At best, maybe 10% of the money reaches real projects that help people in need (there are such cases), but the rest is used to fuel dissent, finance protests, and undermine administrations that refuse to align with the globalist agenda. Cutting this so-called aid isn’t just beneficial for the United States; it’s also a big win for the rest of the world," said the Salvadoran leader.

What does USAID do?

Founded in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, the agency oversees U.S. civilian foreign aid and related programs. Operating independently, it also manages humanitarian assistance, economic development, and disaster relief.

According to the U.S. government's official website, it "is the leading agency for providing assistance to countries recovering from disasters, combating poverty, and pursuing democratic reform."