In a move that has sparked widespread debate, the Trump administration has officially shut down the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), ending decades of U.S.-led foreign assistance operations around the world. The development, confirmed by senior officials late Monday, marks a dramatic overhaul of America’s global humanitarian and development strategy.
White House sources say the decision is part of a broader push by President Donald Trump to reduce what he calls “wasteful foreign spending” and redirect those funds to domestic priorities. “We’ve been handing out billions while our own people are struggling. That era is over,” Trump reportedly said in a recent closed-door briefing.
Critics, however, warn that dismantling USAID (long a key tool in U.S. foreign diplomacy) will weaken American influence abroad, disrupt vital health and education programs, and embolden rival powers like China and Russia to fill the vacuum. USAID has operated in over 100 countries, providing assistance for everything from emergency relief and food security to gender equality and anti-corruption efforts.
The abrupt closure leaves uncertainty over the fate of dozens of ongoing programs and thousands of employees worldwide. Advocacy groups and international partners have called on Congress to intervene or propose an alternative structure, but as of now, the agency’s operations have been halted indefinitely.
Follow us on all social media platforms @dailyquery for news and analyses around the globe.
