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People hold placards outside the USAID building, after billionaire Elon Musk, who is heading U.S. President Donald Trump's drive to shrink the federal government, said work is underway to shut down the U.S. foreign aid agency USAID, in Washington, U.S., February 3, 2025. — Reuters
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WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump is planning to integrate the country’s international aid agency, USAID into the State Department, which aims to cut staff and bring relief costs in accordance with their “US First” policy.
Trump has handed over billionaire Elon Musk to shrink the federal government to monitor the project. On Sunday, Trump said USAID was “driven by a group of radical madmen, and we are taking them out,” while Musk called him a “criminal organization” without providing any evidence and He said that it was time to die now. “
What is USAID and how is it financed?
USAID was established in 1961 by Democratic President John F. Kennedy with the aim of bettering foreign aid at the height of the Cold War, which already an important US foreign policy in combating Soviet influence Platform.
It now accounts for about 60 % of US foreign aid and $ 43.79 billion was provided in the financial year 2023. According to a report by Congress research services this month, its manpower, in which about two -thirds of the overseas services, have helped about 130 130 countries. Based on the administration’s requests, the USAID is financed by Congress.
The CRS said that the USAID helps important countries and countries in terms of strategy “in terms of conflict” in terms of conflict. Guides our efforts to eliminate the need for poverty, sickness and humanitarian needs and helps us trade interests by supporting the economic growth of developing countries and the construction capabilities of countries to participate in global trade. “
In 2023, its high -ranking recipients included Ukraine, Ethiopia, Jordan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Nigeria, South Sudan and Syria.
How much does the United States spend on aid and how does it compare?
In FY 2023, the United States provided a total of $ 72 billion worldwide and about 42 % of all humanitarian aid received by the United Nations in 2024. The funds cover everything from women’s health to clean water, HIV/ access. AIDS treatment, energy safety, and anti -corruption work.
In recent years, according to a report by the Brookings Institution since September, US aid costs have been 0.33 % of GDP. It developed 3 % of the GDP with the Martial Plan program in the 1950s to rebuild Europe after World War II. During the Cold War, it was slightly less than 0.5 % from 1 %.
Although the United States gives more government aid than any other country, its contribution as a percentage of national income was at the bottom of the list for wealthy countries in 2020.
In 2023, Norway took the list at 1.09 % of the gross national income, while the United States lagged behind 0.24 % along with Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Spain.
Does foreign aid have bilateral support?
According to Brookings, the democratic administration and lawmakers have historically been more supportive than the Republican, but every post-war president, whether Democrat or Republican, has been a strong supporter of foreign aid-who belongs to Trump Keep
It states that the first Trump administration’s proposals to reduce the US International Affairs Budget by one -third were rejected, as additional foreign aid in 2024 tried to delay the considering parliament on legislation. Was gone And in the bilateral votes in June, 80 % of Republican House of Representatives rejected an amendment to eliminate foreign aid from a budget of financial 2025.
Who is running USAID?
Under former President Joe Biden, USAID was operated by Irish US diplomat Samantha Power, a self -based ideology, serving as a UN ambassador under Barack Obama.
Under the policy framework of March 2023, its top priorities were the climate crisis, which prevents the wave of dictatorship, and promotes comprehensive economic growth and equal opportunities.
In an interview this month, the power highlighted the role of USAID in presenting US soft power.
“The Best of USAID partnerships, the PRC -backed and Russian -backed propaganda, and notorious for our worldwide works,” he said, using the early names of the People’s Republic of China, the official name of China. Do. “
Opposition and influence of Trump
Announcing a 90 -day break in most foreign aid in the January 20 executive order, Trump said the United States “foreign aid industry and bureaucracy is not associated with US interests and in many cases the hypocrisy of US values “
“They work to destabilize world peace by promoting ideas in foreign countries that are directly upsetting to the internal and stable relations between the countries, the internal and its relations,” he said.
In a memo, the administration urged USAID workers to join in the effort to see how Washington supports Trump’s “US First” policy and threatens disciplinary action to ignore orders Is
These operations raised danger from Thai refugee camps to Ukraine’s warfare, with humanitarian organizations and UN agencies to distribute food, shelter and health care. Capacity may be severely prevented.
A source with information about USAID works said it would be a major leave to connect it to the State Department.
In the past, the USAID has been able to provide humanitarian aid to countries with Washington, including Iran and North Korea. Sources said it sometimes helps build bridges, and that if its actions were fully linked to political purposes, it could be losed.
