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To highlight what is happening to US Foreign Aid?

133 replies

Locutus2000 · 04/02/2025 16:04

Elon Musk's taskforce have not just shut down NSAID (United States Agency for International Development) but are starting to actively erase its' existence.

Pressed about his support for USAID during his first term in office, Trump said he loved the “concept” but not the execution of the agency’s mission.
“They turn out to be radical left lunatics. And the concept of it is good, but it’s all about the people,” he said.

USAID logos and photos showing the humanitarian work the agency does around the globe were removed from its offices last week, multiple sources familiar with the situation told CNN.

“All of the visuals have been taken down. These are like large-scale photos of our work in developing countries that are in our lobbies, in our galleys, in communal kitchens, hallways,” a USAID employee said.

Another USAID worker told CNN: “They’ve taken the photos off the walls, and we’re missing half of our colleagues because our colleagues are gone and have been let go, and everyone sort of feels like they’re walking around with a target on their back.”

When asked if leaders in their department appeared to have any more information on the future of the agency’s work, the source said: “Our senior leaders have all been fired.”

Regardless of your position on Foreign Aid, this type of scorched-earth petty bullying of dissidents has to be intolerable?

So much slipping through the cracks with the barrage of Executive Orders, all entirely by design.

This is all feels like banana republic / post communist block stuff, ignoring the more worrying parallels.

AIBU to feel comparisons to historic dictatorships are becoming increasingly valid, hyperbole aside? All live and on social media for our kids to watch.

Rubio says he’s acting director of USAID as humanitarian agency is taken over by the State Department | CNN Politics

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Monday that he is acting administrator the US Agency for International Development, confirming the de-facto takeover of the humanitarian agency by the State Department.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/03/politics/usaid-washington-workers/index.html

OP posts:
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Ablondiebutagoody · 08/02/2025 09:03

DuncinToffee · 06/02/2025 16:17

Cutting USAID just screwed America's farmers

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/06/trump-usaid-money-american-farms/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzM4ODE4MDAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzQwMjAwMzk5LCJpYXQiOjE3Mzg4MTgwMDAsImp0aSI6IjYwZGFiZDMzLWE4M2YtNGUyNS04ODc0LTdlNmQ1MTRjZjQyZCIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9wb2xpdGljcy8yMDI1LzAyLzA2L3RydW1wLXVzYWlkLW1vbmV5LWFtZXJpY2FuLWZhcm1zLyJ9.IzZA6sOcleD0rgo0U0wUkl9lwBWO80i7ZXuywtWQkaM

USAID oversees projects such as food aid, disaster relief and health programs in over 100 countries with a staff of more than* *10,000 and a budget of around $40 billion. Billions of those dollars flowed back into the American economy until President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day freeze on foreign-aid spending last month.

Now U.S. businesses that sold goods and services to USAID are in limbo. That includes American farms, which supply about 41 percent of the food aid that the agency, working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, sends around the world each year, according to a 2021 report by the Congressional Research Service. In 2020, the U.S. government bought $2.1 billion in food aid from American farmers.

And that's how the aid industry gets so entrenched. So many noses in the trough. Why should taxpayers be funding that?

Motomum23 · 08/02/2025 08:48

snugsnug1 · 07/02/2025 23:42

What a simplistic way to think.

For a start

USAID returns roughly $7 for every $1 spent
American agriculture earns $2billion a year from crops sold to USAID
Illnesses such as Ebola, Monkeypox and AIDS/HIV are contained and prevented from mutating by USAID programs

There is also some evidence that USAID dollars were sent to tue Wuhan Institute to fund gain of function research into coronaviruses.... so if they are containing aids/monkey pox with one hand they are most certainly taking away any sort of good with the other.

snugsnug1 · 07/02/2025 23:42

HermioneWeasley · 07/02/2025 19:43

i Think it’s deeply unfortunate that a lack of oversight has allowed poor funding choices (eg: Guatemalan transgender opera) which have made the whole USAID budget an easy target. I wish they’d been more careful.

Americans are feeling the pinch and optically “giving away” $40bn was going to be hard to justify. Those who support it created an own goal.

What a simplistic way to think.

For a start

USAID returns roughly $7 for every $1 spent
American agriculture earns $2billion a year from crops sold to USAID
Illnesses such as Ebola, Monkeypox and AIDS/HIV are contained and prevented from mutating by USAID programs

HermioneWeasley · 07/02/2025 19:43

i Think it’s deeply unfortunate that a lack of oversight has allowed poor funding choices (eg: Guatemalan transgender opera) which have made the whole USAID budget an easy target. I wish they’d been more careful.

Americans are feeling the pinch and optically “giving away” $40bn was going to be hard to justify. Those who support it created an own goal.

gloriagloria · 07/02/2025 18:58

Neither - no money was ever spent on money for condoms in Gaza.
Fact Check: No evidence US spent $50 million on condoms for Gaza | Reuters

Andante57 · 07/02/2025 18:39

@snugsnug1
Thank you for that. It seems difficult these days to separate truth from fiction.

snugsnug1 · 07/02/2025 18:36

Andante57 · 07/02/2025 17:59

And for those taking the information from Trump and Musk at face value, if the $50m on condoms in gaza was true there would be thousands of condoms per person each year

Was the money spent on condoms in USA which were then sent to Gaza or was the money sent to Palestine with instructions that it was for condoms?

Neither. It didn't happen. This is a pretty good breakdown.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/30/is-the-us-sending-50m-in-condoms-to-gaza-as-trump-claims

Is the US sending $50m in condoms to Gaza as Trump claims?

The US president has listed the stopping of condoms to Gaza as an accomplishment. But is he thinking of the wrong Gaza?

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/30/is-the-us-sending-50m-in-condoms-to-gaza-as-trump-claims

maudelovesharold · 07/02/2025 18:35

Why on earth are you posting on AIBU about this? If you want to obsess about the politics of another country that you have no ability to influence, do it on the Politics forum.

We may have no ability to influence US policy directly, but we are in a position to demand that our own government rebut, in the strongest possible terms, Trump’s most extreme and damaging proposals, at least. We need to know what he is up to. Ignorance is not bliss. The op is welcome to post wherever they need to in order to raise people’s awareness, as far as I’m concerned.

InveterateWineDrinker · 07/02/2025 18:12

Motomum23 · 07/02/2025 17:50

I think YABU - billions of tax dollars are unaccounted for. BILLIONS.
When people in America can't afford their own prescriptions it must sting to know your tax dollars go to some despot country or some liberal woke "charity" that doesn't do much to help people.

That's an audit and oversight failure, not an argument against aid.

Andante57 · 07/02/2025 17:59

And for those taking the information from Trump and Musk at face value, if the $50m on condoms in gaza was true there would be thousands of condoms per person each year

Was the money spent on condoms in USA which were then sent to Gaza or was the money sent to Palestine with instructions that it was for condoms?

Motomum23 · 07/02/2025 17:50

I think YABU - billions of tax dollars are unaccounted for. BILLIONS.
When people in America can't afford their own prescriptions it must sting to know your tax dollars go to some despot country or some liberal woke "charity" that doesn't do much to help people.

gloriagloria · 07/02/2025 17:38

As @Sunseaandgreys says I think we were all expecting a realignment of policy, but the abrupt stop of US funding has catastrophic affects. Huge HIV programmes have been halted with people no longer having access to antiretrovirals. I know of several research institutions and charities in low income countries that will go the the wall. Another larger very well regarded research institution has had to lay off 1000 workers. Clinical trials have been stopped.

And for those taking the information from Trump and Musk at face value, if the $50m on condoms in gaza was true there would be thousands of condoms per person each year.

snugsnug1 · 06/02/2025 16:41

Andante57 · 06/02/2025 13:24

Right, and here, the context, which they fail to provide, is that the money was, in fact, for better irrigation in order to convert the crop. The Spectator really has become a sad shadow of its former self. Being partisan is one thing, and fair enough, but they should be ashamed because this is just shoddy.

@snugsnug1 sure - it sounds very unlikely to me. I wonder who provided the source.

I would guess they have some administration source and just aren't bothering to fact check. Truthfully, I don't know how big their staff is or what their process is, but it's almost impossible to check the barrage of information right now (although that one should be pretty easy). Unfortunately, that's exactly how something can get out there as 'fact' when it's a nugget of truth that's been manipulated.

And now that it's owned by the GB News guy (I think?) I would guess they prize other things over accuracy.

snugsnug1 · 06/02/2025 16:21

DuncinToffee · 06/02/2025 16:17

Cutting USAID just screwed America's farmers

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/06/trump-usaid-money-american-farms/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzM4ODE4MDAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzQwMjAwMzk5LCJpYXQiOjE3Mzg4MTgwMDAsImp0aSI6IjYwZGFiZDMzLWE4M2YtNGUyNS04ODc0LTdlNmQ1MTRjZjQyZCIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9wb2xpdGljcy8yMDI1LzAyLzA2L3RydW1wLXVzYWlkLW1vbmV5LWFtZXJpY2FuLWZhcm1zLyJ9.IzZA6sOcleD0rgo0U0wUkl9lwBWO80i7ZXuywtWQkaM

USAID oversees projects such as food aid, disaster relief and health programs in over 100 countries with a staff of more than* *10,000 and a budget of around $40 billion. Billions of those dollars flowed back into the American economy until President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day freeze on foreign-aid spending last month.

Now U.S. businesses that sold goods and services to USAID are in limbo. That includes American farms, which supply about 41 percent of the food aid that the agency, working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, sends around the world each year, according to a 2021 report by the Congressional Research Service. In 2020, the U.S. government bought $2.1 billion in food aid from American farmers.

Hah. I just came here to post the exact same link.

It's amazing how many people don't understand how much aid money actually supports industries in the country giving the aid. Like how much Ukraine aid money actually pumps right back into propping up the American defence contractors (not that they're my favourite industry).

DuncinToffee · 06/02/2025 16:17

Cutting USAID just screwed America's farmers

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/06/trump-usaid-money-american-farms/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzM4ODE4MDAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzQwMjAwMzk5LCJpYXQiOjE3Mzg4MTgwMDAsImp0aSI6IjYwZGFiZDMzLWE4M2YtNGUyNS04ODc0LTdlNmQ1MTRjZjQyZCIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9wb2xpdGljcy8yMDI1LzAyLzA2L3RydW1wLXVzYWlkLW1vbmV5LWFtZXJpY2FuLWZhcm1zLyJ9.IzZA6sOcleD0rgo0U0wUkl9lwBWO80i7ZXuywtWQkaM

USAID oversees projects such as food aid, disaster relief and health programs in over 100 countries with a staff of more than* *10,000 and a budget of around $40 billion. Billions of those dollars flowed back into the American economy until President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day freeze on foreign-aid spending last month.

Now U.S. businesses that sold goods and services to USAID are in limbo. That includes American farms, which supply about 41 percent of the food aid that the agency, working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, sends around the world each year, according to a 2021 report by the Congressional Research Service. In 2020, the U.S. government bought $2.1 billion in food aid from American farmers.

snugsnug1 · 06/02/2025 14:28

Puzzledandpissedoff · 06/02/2025 14:20

It is rather worrying that the will of Congress can be overturned by Executive Order

It was set up by one in the first place, @InveterateWineDrinker (by JFK to be precise) and history teaches that all such organisations are ripe for corruption, which is exactly what's happened with USAID

There's no reason why aid can't continue to be provided, but by State and hopefully under a better regulated regime - though there's every chance that too will become corrupted in time

This is a very facile analysis. No one really knows whether or not it's that case that it can be undone by EO, since there is already congressionally approved funding. According to our system of checks and balances, a president doesn't just get to overrule that. A new administration can certainly change the target/aim of an organisation with new congressionally approved funding, or choose not to re-up it when the allocated funds have been used, but it's unclear whether what they have done now is legal. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Porcuporpoise · 06/02/2025 14:28

The US voted for Trump so now they get to experience life under Trump (who, for all his manifest faults, never hid who and what he stands for).

If they're lucky, in 4 years they'll have a chance to elect someone else.

snugsnug1 · 06/02/2025 14:24

It's quite amazing how many people just state with absolute confidence that USAID is corrupt without a single source other than statements, with no evidence, made by Elon Musk and the White House.

InveterateWineDrinker · 06/02/2025 14:23

Puzzledandpissedoff · 06/02/2025 14:20

It is rather worrying that the will of Congress can be overturned by Executive Order

It was set up by one in the first place, @InveterateWineDrinker (by JFK to be precise) and history teaches that all such organisations are ripe for corruption, which is exactly what's happened with USAID

There's no reason why aid can't continue to be provided, but by State and hopefully under a better regulated regime - though there's every chance that too will become corrupted in time

Sure it was set up by EO, but its programmes and ongoing funding are Congressional mandates.

Agree with BaleOfHay - this is a coup.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 06/02/2025 14:20

It is rather worrying that the will of Congress can be overturned by Executive Order

It was set up by one in the first place, @InveterateWineDrinker (by JFK to be precise) and history teaches that all such organisations are ripe for corruption, which is exactly what's happened with USAID

There's no reason why aid can't continue to be provided, but by State and hopefully under a better regulated regime - though there's every chance that too will become corrupted in time

BaleOfHay · 06/02/2025 13:57

@GildedRage Yes, the US contributes a lot, but that is due to its economy. It actually contributes a significantly lower percentage than the norms in the 'developed' world. The UN target is set at 0.7% GNI (gross national income), with the US typically giving around 0.2%. In another comparison, in 2023, Norwegians gave the equivalent of $1,160 per person in foreign aid — more than twice the amount contributed by people in other large Western countries. By comparison, people in countries like the United States and Japan gave much less, at $190 and $155 per person, respectively.

This isn't just a cost-saving measure - keep your eyes peeled for what he's about to do internally. He's already using Elon Musk to dismantle the CIA and the Department of Education not to mention other agencies. This is a coup.

Ablondiebutagoody · 06/02/2025 13:50

Maybe the posters who think it's a travesty could stump up to support the Peruvian trans comic themselves? Would be pretty easy to organise online.

GildedRage · 06/02/2025 13:32

Well the USA is trillions in debt.
Cuts are going to be massive and Trump will also be ruthless at improving income by demanding other countries pony up and pay more for shit the USA have been subsidizing.
Trump is being very bold in a role that’s usually more soft spoken diplomacy. His action are causing chaos.

SlapTheMelon · 06/02/2025 13:26

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 04/02/2025 16:34

It’s a terrible shame that the subsidy to the LGBTQ theatre group in WALES has been removed, so the Welsh will have to stump up for it. Ditto the Serbian literature on transition 😢….so sad.Maybe we could lobby our Government to take on this onerous but o so necessary function.

American money, American's choice. LIke it or not, Trump was given a mandate by the majority. That's what everyone wants their elected government to do, isn't it? Unlike this Labour gov that's a complete liar.

Andante57 · 06/02/2025 13:24

Right, and here, the context, which they fail to provide, is that the money was, in fact, for better irrigation in order to convert the crop. The Spectator really has become a sad shadow of its former self. Being partisan is one thing, and fair enough, but they should be ashamed because this is just shoddy.

@snugsnug1 sure - it sounds very unlikely to me. I wonder who provided the source.