USAID Website Remains Offline Amid Reports of Agency Overhaul
WASHINGTON: The official website of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) remained inaccessible on Monday, following reports that the agency is being integrated into the State Department as part of a broader restructuring effort.
This follows remarks from billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who is spearheading major government reforms under President Donald Trump’s administration.
During a discussion on X, Musk revealed that Trump had approved the agency’s dissolution, calling it an outdated institution.
“We reviewed everything in detail with [the president], and he agreed that shutting it down was the right move,” Musk stated.
He further criticized USAID in a post on X, labeling it as a “corrupt organization” and stating, “It’s time for it to be dismantled.”
USAID has long been one of the largest global providers of humanitarian assistance, with an annual budget of $43 billion in 2023 and a workforce exceeding 10,000 employees. The agency has played a critical role in initiatives targeting poverty, hunger, and disease worldwide.
Signs of the agency’s transition became evident on Monday when its headquarters were temporarily closed, and employees were instructed to either work remotely or remain at home unless performing essential duties.
An internal email over the weekend directed USAID staff on the next steps, while signage bearing the agency’s logo was removed from offices, hinting at structural changes.
Additionally, USAID’s social media accounts have been taken down, with limited information now available on a simplified page hosted by the State Department. Attempts to access the agency’s original website result in an error message indicating that the page is unavailable.
This development is part of a larger initiative by the Trump administration to reassess how U.S. foreign aid is distributed.
Last week, an executive order was issued to temporarily freeze foreign aid funding while officials review whether current programs align with the administration’s “America First” policy.
There is growing speculation that USAID will soon be brought under direct State Department oversight, a topic reportedly discussed in high-level meetings last Friday when initial signs of the agency’s closure emerged.
With this uncertainty, USAID employees and aid organizations are voicing concerns about the potential loss of the agency’s independence, fearing it may impact critical global humanitarian efforts.