The website of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) abruptly went offline on Saturday, raising fresh concerns over President Donald Trump’s sweeping freeze on foreign aid and development funding. The blackout comes as thousands of USAID employees face furloughs and layoffs amid a broader crackdown on US global assistance.
The Trump administration has imposed a 90-day freeze on billions of dollars in humanitarian, development, and security aid, triggering a heated political confrontation with congressional Democrats. Critics fear that Trump is attempting to dismantle USAID as an independent entity, folding it into the State Department—a move they argue exceeds presidential authority.
Political battle over USAID’s future
Congressional Democrats have warned that the elimination of USAID would represent a fundamental shift in US foreign policy, undermining national security. Senator Chris Murphy took to social media, accusing Trump of instigating a “constitutional crisis.”
“That’s what a despot—who wants to steal the taxpayers’ money to enrich his billionaire cabal—does,” Murphy stated on X (formerly Twitter).
Meanwhile, Trump and his allies argue that much of USAID’s funding is misallocated to wasteful projects or liberal social agendas. Billionaire Elon Musk, an informal Trump adviser, endorsed calls for dismantling the agency, posting on X: “Live by executive order, die by executive order.”
The global impact
USAID, created by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, has long been central to American soft power, countering Soviet and, more recently, Chinese influence. China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative now challenges US global aid dominance, adding urgency to the debate over USAID’s future.
The shutdown of foreign assistance programs has left international aid organizations scrambling, with many forced to halt operations due to funding uncertainty. While Secretary of State Marco Rubio has worked to sustain life-saving emergency programs, the administration’s selective enforcement of the freeze has led to widespread confusion.
Rubio stated on Thursday that the administration was reviewing USAID’s programmes to eliminate those “not in the US national interest.” However, he made no mention of dissolving the agency altogether.
Legal and institutional fallout
The Trump administration has a history of attempting to curtail USAID’s budget. During his first term, Trump sought to slash foreign aid funding by a third, a move blocked by Congress. His administration then used bureaucratic maneuvers, including funding freezes, to circumvent legislative authority—a tactic later deemed unlawful by the Government Accountability Office under the Impoundment Control Act.
The uncertainty surrounding USAID’s fate has led to internal anxiety. Agency employees reportedly spent the weekend monitoring whether its signs and flags remained in place at headquarters in Washington, DC as of late Saturday, they had not been removed.
With the Trump administration’s review period ongoing, the future of US foreign aid remains in limbo. The implications of a diminished or dismantled USAID would be profound, impacting global humanitarian efforts and America’s diplomatic reach.
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