Trump, Musk Want to Dismantle USAID: Here’s Where It Spends Its Money


  • USAID distributed almost $32.5 billion in support in 2024, primarily to Africa and the Middle East.
  • Many Republicans argue USAID is wasteful, whereas some Democrats say shuttering the company is unconstitutional.
  • Proposed USAID cuts might cut back support to Ukraine, Jordan, and Ethiopia.

Proposed cuts to the US Agency for International Development may cut back help to Ukraine, Jordan, and Ethiopia.

Data for fiscal 12 months 2024 exhibits that USAID distributed almost $32.5 billion in support that 12 months, a lot of it to Africa and the Middle East.

On Tuesday night, USAID employees acquired an email saying that beginning Friday, “all USAID direct hire personnel will be placed on administrative leave globally, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership, and specially designated programs.” The e mail added that important employees could be notified on Thursday afternoon and that the company would start transferring worldwide employees again to the US inside 30 days.

The US spends extra on humanitarian support than different nations by extensive margins, although international support spending is underneath 1% of the federal price range. The US supplies some quantity of support to most nations, together with almost each nation in Africa and Asia. Many polls have discovered a majority of Americans consider the US is spending too much on foreign aid, together with for Ukraine.

The White House didn’t reply to a request for remark.

In 2024, the US donated over $5.4 billion in support to Ukraine by way of USAID, most of which was by way of macroeconomic help to help in its war with Russia.

The company gave over $1.23 billion to Jordan final 12 months, principally by way of a money switch to the federal government in trade for the nation cooperating with US pursuits, reminiscent of offering intelligence help and housing Syrian refugees.

USAID additionally gave barely over $1.2 billion to Ethiopia and almost that quantity to Congo amid continued battle, local weather shocks, and meals shortages.

Other nations that acquired tons of of thousands and thousands of {dollars} from the company included South Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria, Sudan, and Yemen.

Of the $32.5 billion in spending, about one-quarter went to humanitarian functions, whereas one other quarter went to well being and inhabitants. The company allotted about $7 billion to governance and one other $3.6 billion to administrative prices.

It devoted over $2.3 billion to fighting AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria globally, about $290 million to creating vaccines and immunization extra widespread, and almost $188 million to worldwide improvement and capital funding.

USAID, based in 1961 in the course of the Cold War, had three high companions in 2024: the World Bank Group, which acquired $4 billion; the World Food Program, which acquired $3.4 billion; and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which acquired $2.3 billion.

About one-quarter of USAID funding got here from the Economic Support Fund, whereas $7.4 billion got here from the State Department and world well being applications.

Democrats and Republicans have been break up on USAID’s standing. While many Democrats say reducing USAID spending may have widespread detrimental impacts on thousands and thousands of individuals in war-torn or creating nations — and will value Americans 1000’s of jobs — Republicans argue USAID spending is commonly wasteful and never within the US’s greatest pursuits.

Donald Trump and Elon Musk have attacked USAID and different international support applications over the previous few weeks. Musk known as USAID a “criminal organization” in a publish on X, whereas Trump informed reporters on Sunday that USAID was “run by a bunch of radical lunatics.”

Some authorized analysts and Democratic politicians have argued that solely an act of Congress can shut down an impartial company like USAID. Though Trump and Musk have mentioned that there is fraud in USAID, some consultants have pushed back on these claims.

“We don’t have a fourth branch of government called Elon Musk, and that’s going to become real clear,” Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland mentioned at a press convention Monday exterior the USAID headquarters. “This illegal, unconstitutional interference with congressional power is threatening lives all over the world.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio was named USAID’s appearing director on Monday and has advocated for international help businesses to be extra clear about how support is being applied. Rubio mentioned the Trump administration was reviewing every program to see if it makes the US safer, stronger, and extra affluent.

At the beginning of Trump’s presidency, his administration froze billions in humanitarian support, saying that many international help applications promoted liberal agendas or value the US unnecessarily giant quantities.

Are you a federal employee who needs to share your story with a reporter? Reach out from a nonwork e mail to nsheidlower@businessinsider.com.





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