Elon Musk said early Monday he had spoken with President Donald Trump who “agreed” with him that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) should be shut down, just hours after the president attacked the aid agency’s leadership by calling it “a bunch of radical lunatics.”
Two official from the United States Agency for International Development were placed on ... [+]
During an X Spaces stream to discuss the work of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk said he checked with the president a few times and asked “Are you sure?” and Trump said yes, “so we’re shutting it down.”
Without offering evidence, Musk attacked the aid agency by claiming its work was “incredibly politically partisan,” and he continued his attacks on X Monday morning, saying “USAID is/was a radical-left political psy op.”
During the stream, Musk described USAID as not just an “apple with a worm it in” but rather a “bowl of worms” which was “beyond repair” and the only solution was “You’ve got to basically get rid of the whole thing.”
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, who was also on the stream, said if there are “truly good pro-American programs” under USAID’s authority they should be moved under the State Department and “make sure we have proper oversight.”
USAID staffers were told to work from home and avoid the agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Monday, multiple outlets reported, and hundreds of employees lost access to the computer systems overnight, according to the Associated Press.
Hours after Musk said Trump approved shutting down USAID, ABC News reported the president—whose administration has been seemingly moving toward putting USAID under the control of the State Department—appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to temporarily lead the independent organization.
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Earlier on Sunday evening, Trump was asked by reporters about the state of USAID and said: “Well it's been run by a bunch of radical lunatics, and we're getting them out...and then we'll make a decision.”
Operatives from the Department of Government Efficiency, which Musk leads, were reportedly stopped by senior USAID security officials while trying to access materials at the aid agency’s office, including classified information. According to CNN, the two USAID officials were placed on administrative leave on Saturday and the DOGE operatives were ultimately able to access the classified materials despite lacking the appropriate security clearances. Musk responded to CNN’s report by calling USAID a “criminal organization” without any evidence and adding that it was “time for it to die.”
The USAID website went offline on Saturday afternoon amid a push by the Trump administration to bring the independent aid agency under the direct control of the State Department. Trump’s recent actions—including an order to freeze most foreign aid—have triggered confusion and uncertainty at the agency over the past week as staffers feared an impending shutdown. Several of the agency’s signs were taken down from its Washington D.C. offices on Friday, NBC News reported. Global aid groups have warned that shutting down USAID and a halt on U.S. foreign aid may have a catastrophic humanitarian impact across the world.
What To Know About Trump’s USAID Changes—After Elon Musk’s DOGE Accesses Classified Info (Forbes)