What is USAID? Govt agency Elon Musk and Donald Trump want to shut down

Elon Musk stated that President Donald Trump agrees that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) should be "shut down." Speculation about the agency had been ongoing since funding was cut off and dozens of its employees were put on leave. 

Donald trump agrees to shut USAID 

According to CNN, Musk said in a conversation with X Spaces on Monday morning, "I had an in-depth discussion with the President about USAID, and he agreed that we should shut it down." 

Musk mentioned that he had discussed this with Trump "a few times," and Trump confirmed that he wanted to shut down the agency, which distributes billions of dollars annually in humanitarian aid and development funds. 

According to reports, Musk's comment came after two senior USAID security officials were sent on administrative leave on Saturday night. These officials had refused to give Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) members access to the agency’s systems, while DOGE personnel had threatened to call law enforcement. However, DOGE employees were eventually able to access the personnel files. 

Elon Musk calls USAID a ‘criminal organisation’ 

Reacting to this incident on X, Musk called USAID a criminal organization, stating that it was time for it to be shut down. 

Last week, nearly 60 senior USAID employees were sent on leave, accused of attempting to bypass President Trump’s executive order that blocked foreign aid for 90 days. Another senior official was sent on leave for attempting to reverse this move, as there was no evidence of wrongdoing. 

USAID was established in 1961 under President John F. Kennedy’s administration and serves as the humanitarian branch of the U.S. government. It distributes billions of dollars annually worldwide to reduce poverty, treat diseases, provide relief during famines and natural disasters, and support democratic building and development by assisting non-governmental organizations, independent media, and social initiatives. 

Officials argue that USAID is a key tool of American "soft power" to strengthen relationships with communities worldwide. It is considered one of the three pillars of U.S. national security, alongside defense and diplomacy, led by the Department of Defense, the State Department, and USAID, respectively. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from IANS)