President Trump’s administration has finally shut down the controversial USAID agency, prompting former President Barack Obama to slam him.
Despite their emotional pleas about “tragedy” and “colossal mistakes,” the Trump team is replacing the bloated bureaucracy with a more accountable “America First” program that will better serve actual American interests.
This week, as USAID closed its doors for the last time after six decades, former presidents Obama and George W. Bush joined forces in a last-ditch effort to criticize the Trump administration’s decision to dismantle the agency.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered USAID to be absorbed into the State Department, ending its status as an independent agency and creating significant savings for American taxpayers.
President Trump had previously accused USAID of being run by “radical left lunatics” and claimed it was rife with “tremendous fraud,” while Elon Musk called it “a criminal organization.”
These assessments align with long-standing conservative concerns about a lack of oversight and accountability in foreign aid spending that often fails to advance America’s interests.
The State Department has announced a successor program called “America First,” aimed at ensuring proper oversight of foreign assistance and advancing national interests rather than funding globalist priorities.
This realignment represents a significant victory for taxpayers who have questioned for years why billions of American dollars flow overseas while domestic needs go unmet.
“Gutting USAID is a travesty, and it’s a tragedy. Because it’s some of the most important work happening anywhere in the world,” Obama stated.
Although Obama called the decision a “colossal mistake,” many conservatives see it as a necessary correction to decades of wasteful spending and misplaced priorities.
The farewell videoconference included a parade of globalist figures lamenting the end of an agency that had grown far beyond its original mandate.
Bush, whose administration dramatically expanded foreign aid, highlighted his PEPFAR AIDS relief program, which faced cuts but was partially saved by bipartisan support in Congress.
In perhaps the most bizarre moment of political theater, U2 frontman Bono made a surprise appearance at the farewell event, reciting poetry and criticizing the Trump administration’s decision.
The Irish rock star’s involvement underscores how USAID had become a pet project of international celebrities rather than focusing on America’s strategic interests.
In addition, thousands of USAID bureaucrats are expected to lose their jobs as the agency undergoes a streamlining and restructuring process under the State Department.
While Obama, Bush, and their allies portrayed this as a humanitarian crisis, the Trump administration views it as necessary government reform to eliminate redundancy and ensure foreign assistance serves American priorities.
Ultimately, the decision represents a significant victory for President Trump’s commitment to prioritizing American interests and reducing wasteful government spending.
