Aid Under Attack: With Musk’s declaration to dismantle USAID, critics warn of a dangerous void in global aid efforts. Demonstrators demand the agency’s immediate reinstatement.
BY PC bureau
A storm of public outrage erupted on Monday following Elon Musk’s announcement that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) would be dismantled with the full backing of President Donald Trump. Protests, political condemnation, and international concern have surged in response to what critics are calling a reckless move that threatens U.S. global influence and decades of humanitarian progress.
Musk, who heads the controversial Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), declared in an audio message on X (formerly Twitter), “We’re shutting it down. I have the President’s full support.” The announcement came just hours after emails instructed USAID staff to stay away from their Washington headquarters.
BREAKING: Massive protests have erupted in front of the USAID building following Donald Trump’s and Elon Musk’s unlawful attempts to shut USAID down. The resistance to Trump and Musk’s incompetence is growing. pic.twitter.com/EvRNmKaX9I
— Democratic Wins Media (@DemocraticWins) February 3, 2025
Public Protests and Rising Anger
By midday, thousands gathered outside USAID’s headquarters, waving signs reading “Save USAID” and “Aid Saves Lives.” Demonstrators called for the immediate reinstatement of the agency, which disbursed over $72 billion in aid last year for disaster relief, health initiatives, and pro-democracy programs.
“Elon Musk has no right to play with lives across the world,” said protester Maria Jenkins, a nurse from Baltimore. “Millions depend on USAID for food, medicine, and hope. This is pure madness.”
Students from Georgetown University and humanitarian workers from various NGOs joined the rally, chanting “Aid is not a bargaining chip.”
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Democratic Leaders Condemn the Move
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called the decision “a catastrophic blunder that will cost lives and damage America’s moral standing.”
“Dismantling USAID is not efficiency; it’s cruelty disguised as governance. The world watches as we abandon our commitments to peace, health, and democracy,” Jeffries said at a press conference.
Senator Elizabeth Warren echoed the sentiment, accusing Musk and Trump of “sabotaging decades of bipartisan efforts to make the world a safer, healthier place.”
ALSO READ: AT Trump’s bidding Musk declares USAID shutdown, evokes massive protest
International Alarm
World leaders have also expressed dismay. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the move “shortsighted and dangerous,” emphasizing that “USAID has been a cornerstone of North American efforts to foster global stability.”
German Chancellor Annalena Baerbock described the shutdown as a “blow to international cooperation.” She added, “Europe will step up, but America’s absence leaves a void that authoritarian powers will eagerly fill.”
Former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned that the decision would “destabilize fragile regions and embolden extremist groups.”
Temper Tantrum!
Congressional Democrats, USAID-funded NGOs, and USAID employees are now protesting outside recently closed USAID office after President Trump closed the program.
Too bad for them DOGE found out what a waste it was! pic.twitter.com/Xv2tUfm7qv
— Conservative Brief (@ConservBrief) February 3, 2025
Experts Raise Alarms
Mitchell Warren, Executive Director of the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC), described the move as “haphazard and dangerous,” adding that “enormous, hard-fought gains are being undone with the stroke of a pen.”
Atul Gawande, a former senior USAID official, revealed that more than 400 global health staff had already been terminated. “This is not just a pause; it’s the dismantling of America’s most important humanitarian institution,” Gawande said.
Musk Defends Decision
In a follow-up post on X, Musk called USAID a “criminal organization” and a “viper’s nest of radical-left Marxists.” He insisted that the agency was beyond repair and accused it of misusing taxpayer dollars.
“We’re getting rid of a ball of worms, not a rotten apple. President Trump and I agreed: It’s time to pull the plug,” Musk stated.
Protests Continue
As night fell in Washington, demonstrators remained resolute outside USAID headquarters, vowing to continue their protests until the agency is reinstated.
“We’re here to defend America’s promise to the world,” said Jennifer Morales, a USAID employee on administrative leave. “This fight isn’t over.”
With bipartisan outrage growing and global condemnation mounting, the political and social fallout from Musk and Trump’s decision shows no signs of abating.
