Trump and Musk’s Plan to Shut Down USAID Could Kill Millions

An influential billionaire with unchecked access to federal government operations early on Monday confirmed that President Donald Trump supports the ongoing efforts to close the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the world’s leading provider of humanitarian aid.

Elon Musk, who leads an external advisory group accused of overstepping legal boundaries, disclosed during a live event on his own social media platform that he had discussed the potential shutdown of USAID with Trump “several times.” Musk quoted Trump responding affirmatively to the proposition.

“We are going to shut it down,” Musk declared, criticizing the agency’s leadership as being comprised of “extreme radicals.”

As reported by Common Dreams over the weekend, two security officials from USAID were dismissed after they denied Musk’s team access to sensitive internal systems and classified information. Additionally, the shutdown of USAID’s website signals a troubling trend, as the agency becomes a major focus of the Trump administration’s agenda.

The dire political ramifications of Musk’s actions have been described by some observers as a “textbook coup.” Abby Maxman, president and CEO of Oxfam America, expressed in a statement that dismantling USAID would be a “heartless and destructive political move, which would result in deadly outcomes for countless individuals facing severe humanitarian crises and poverty.”

Maxman also stated, “Any move by President Trump to dissolve or integrate USAID into the State Department would not only be legally questionable but should also be immediately contested in court.”

“If this situation unfolded in Pakistan, Chad, or Venezuela, the headlines would be unequivocal: A billionaire oligarch takes over, dismantling democracy as it happens.”

The Trump administration has already put a major hold on foreign aid distributions, leading to global unrest and confusion as non-profits rush to gauge the impact on their critical operations.

Reports from TIME detailed the difficult choices faced by organizations; one had to decide between complying with a work stoppage order or continuing to provide meals to schoolchildren in needy areas. They chose to comply, resulting in the loss of substantial amounts of perishable food. Another group is struggling with the decision to shut down maternal health clinics in Haiti, which would leave many expectant mothers without viable healthcare options.

Discussions within the Trump administration have included proposals to strip USAID of its autonomy and place it under the jurisdiction of the State Department. By Saturday, as reported by The New York Times, signs at USAID’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. had been removed, and there were rumors that mission directors globally were being recalled to the United States.

According to two USAID employees from the Washington headquarters, who spoke anonymously due to a directive prohibiting them from discussing agency changes, the mood within the agency is one of fear and disarray, with a significant reduction in the workforce occurring over the past week, as noted by the Times.

Paul O’Brien, the executive director of Amnesty International USA, commented that “the technical and financial support provided by USAID is crucial for governments worldwide to fulfill their human rights obligations.”

O’Brien cautioned that a sudden disbandment of the agency would significantly endanger the rights of millions globally.

In a pointed critique, progressive strategist Waleed Shahid remarked that if such events were happening in countries like Pakistan, Chad, or Venezuela, the media would not hesitate to describe it as a takeover by a billionaire oligarch, undermining democracy in real time.

Shahid elaborated that Musk’s supporters, wielding executive orders instead of weapons, are undermining the civil service, barring officials from accessing government systems, and imposing policies from what has effectively become a command center. “While Trump may be the nominal leader, Musk is the driving force behind this takeover, with key areas like the Treasury, national security, and federal agencies progressively falling under private control. In any other nation, this would be recognized as a state capture, a clear coup. Yet here, the media still questions whether democracy is at risk, as though awaiting a definitive historic verdict.”