The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), long hailed as a pillar of global humanitarian relief, has been officially shut down, with its remaining operations absorbed into the State Department. The closure, initiated under President Donald Trump’s second term, drew sharp rebuke from former presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, who joined U2 frontman Bono in denouncing the move as a moral and strategic failure. The agency’s dissolution comes after the cancellation of more than 80% of its programs earlier this year.
Once employing over 10,000 personnel, most stationed abroad, USAID was the world’s largest foreign aid agency. Its termination is expected to severely impact critical programs, including those focused on fighting Ebola in Africa, clearing landmines, and supporting injured soldiers in Ukraine. A recent Lancet study forecasts a dire global fallout, projecting over 14 million additional deaths by 2030, one-third of them children, if U.S. aid remains suspended.
Despite the backlash, Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the decision, asserting that consolidating aid under his department would eliminate inefficiencies and align spending with “America First” priorities. The Trump administration has consistently criticized USAID for what it labeled as bureaucratic bloat and mismanagement, with Elon Musk spearheading the federal workforce reduction plan that paved the way for the agency’s collapse.
Humanitarian organizations worldwide have condemned the shutdown, warning that it sets a dangerous precedent for global development and emergency response efforts. The United Nations recently reported facing the most severe funding shortfall in the history of international aid, exacerbated by similar cuts from other nations following the U.S. lead.
Former President Bush, whose administration launched one of USAID’s most successful HIV/AIDS programs, lamented the reversal of progress that saved over 25 million lives. Obama echoed the sentiment, calling the closure “a tragedy and a travesty.” Bono delivered a poignant tribute to USAID workers, stating, “They called you crooks when you were the best of us.”
