The future of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) hung in the balance Monday after Elon Musk, charged with overseeing federal government reforms, revealed that President Trump had approved plans to shut down the agency. USAID’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., was closed for the day, with employees instructed to work remotely, and its social media accounts and website were significantly reduced, redirecting to the State Department.
Musk discussed the matter during a conversation on X, confirming that Trump supported dismantling the long-established agency, citing concerns about its partisan nature. USAID, created by Congress as an independent body, has been under scrutiny from Trump’s administration and Musk, with Democrats opposing the shutdown, claiming it lacks legal authority.
The agency’s headquarters showed signs of this upheaval: logos, photos, and all references to USAID’s global humanitarian work were removed. Reports also surfaced that top security officials were placed on leave for resisting Department of Government Efficiency personnel’s attempts to access sensitive agency systems, including classified information.
As the controversy escalates, Democratic lawmakers argue that such drastic changes should fall within Congress’s purview, not the executive branch. USAID employees, some of whom have already been laid off, now face an uncertain future as the agency’s fate hangs in the balance.
