The website of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) went offline Saturday evening amid reports that the Trump administration was preparing to curtail USAID's independence by placing it under the direct oversight of the State Department.
An error message on USAID's website read: "This site can't be reached Check if there is a typo in www.usaid.gov. DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN."
USAID's X account was also taken offline.
Two sources familiar with the transition told Reuters that a major overhaul is expected in how Washington allocates US foreign aid, with USAID losing its independence and most likely coming under the control of the State Department.
By late Saturday, a new 'lite' page for USAID appeared on the State Department's website.
"Trump's been purging and intimidating USAID employees. Now there's a rumor he'll dissolve USAID as an independent agency," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on X on Friday.
Trump's been purging and intimidating USAID employees.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) February 1, 2025
Now there’s a rumor he'll dissolve USAID as an independent agency.
It was created by JFK and established in law to further our national security and spread hope.
This'd be illegal and against our national interests.
Trump has made it very clear to Democrats and their Deep State counterparts that flooding taxpayer dollars into shady NGOs would be coming to an end under his 'America First' agenda.
Last week...
"Monday Afternoon Massacre": USAID Employees Placed On Leave For Allegedly Circumventing Trump's Orders https://t.co/CfMoclE462
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) January 28, 2025
Last month, the Trump administration froze nearly all foreign aid programs amid efforts to overhaul the distribution of that aid.
A post from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) account on X clarified that USAID went on a woke spending spree in third-world countries...
At this point we need to end ALL foreign aid. Not a single American taxpayer cent should leave the country for a very very long time. It’s all money laundering.
— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) January 15, 2025
Musk responded "True" to Robby Starbuck's post about USAID laundering taxpayer funds "for Democrats in DC." And even explained how it worked:
Annnnd the USAid website is now down.
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) February 2, 2025
Try it: https://t.co/lvZf3F02sp 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/teB9WPVe6D
"Like I said before, USAID is a front for the CIA. And together with NGO's like the Open Society Foundation, they have been using US tax dollars & govt resources as their personal piggy bank. It has been infuriating to watch. Hopefully now the whole truth will come out," journalist Lara Logan wrote on X.
Like I said before, USAID is a front for the CIA. And together with NGO’s like the Open Society Foundation, they have been using US tax dollars & govt resources as their personal piggy bank. It has been infuriating to watch. Hopefully now the whole truth will come out. https://t.co/0eMqwBi3OR
— Lara Logan (@laralogan) February 2, 2025
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller told CNN an uncomfortable truth: "At USAID, 98% donated to Kamala Harris or other left-wing candidates."
STEPHEN MILLER: Overwhelmingly, the career federal service in this country is far-left.
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 28, 2025
TAPPER: I don't know that's true.
MILLER: At USAID, 98% donated to Kamala Harris or other left-wing candidates.
TAPPER: You're demonizing an entire workforce.pic.twitter.com/IVLH8Qsy88
Funding will soon dry up for NGOs and other entities that rely on USAID funds—some of which have been linked to furthering left-wing censorship efforts around the world and funding coups.
