President of the United States, Donald Trump, made accusations against certain media outlets, including Politico, suggesting that they had received part of “the billions of dollars” that, according to him, have been “squandered” by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) as a form of “payment” to provide favorable coverage to the Democrats.
In a message posted on his Truth Social platform, Trump mentioned that Politico had received 8 million dollars, raising the question of whether the New York Times and other outlets had also been compensated for creating positive narratives about the Democrats.
What is and how many employees does USAID have?
USAID is an independent U.S. government agency, created in 1961, that employs around 10,000 people and has a budget of 50 billion dollars in 2023.
The agency was founded by President Kennedy amid the tension between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Kennedy sought a more effective way to counter Soviet influence through international aid and felt that the State Department was too bureaucratic to achieve this.
With the approval of the Foreign Assistance Act by Congress, Kennedy established USAID as an independent entity. The agency has persisted beyond the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Today, USAID supporters argue that U.S. international aid helps counter the influence of Russia and China. Critics, on the other hand, argue that these programs are wasteful and promote a liberal political agenda.
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USAID offices closed
After Trump made the accusation, the USAID offices in Washington were closed and its operations were suspended last Monday. This came after Elon Musk’s announcement, who is in charge of reforming and optimizing the government, stating that the president had agreed to dismantle the agency.
For Trump, this payment to the media would be the greatest scandal in history and warned that the Democrats cannot escape from it.
When will the U.S. Agency for International Development personnel stop working?
Through its official page, USAID issued a statement informing that, starting on Friday, February 7, 2025, at 11:59 PM (EST), all personnel directly employed by USAID will be placed on administrative leave worldwide, except for personnel designated as responsible for critical functions for the mission, central leadership, and specifically designated programs.
Meanwhile, essential personnel expected to continue working will be informed by the agency’s leadership this Thursday, February 6, at 3:00 PM (EST).
“In the case of USAID personnel currently deployed outside the United States, the Agency, in coordination with the missions and the State Department, is preparing a plan, in compliance with all applicable requirements and laws, under which the Agency would arrange and pay for their return trip to the United States within 30 days and foresee the termination of PSC and ISC contracts that are not determined to be essential,” it said.
However, there will be case-by-case exceptions and travel extensions based on personal or family difficulties, mobility or security issues, or other reasons.
Will the U.S. Agency for International Development disappear?
The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, clarified that the U.S. Agency for International Development will not disappear. He explained that the agency needs to adjust its approaches to align with the interests of the current administration, as in some projects there are multiple intermediaries that make it difficult for aid to reach its original goals.
Claudia Sheinbaum supports the closure of USAID
The President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, celebrated the end of the funding provided by USAID and accused the organization of financing the opposition.
“USAID has so many issues that, honestly, yes, it’s better to shut it down. And, in any case, if there are going to be aids for different purposes, they should open other types of channels; they should be transparent, that’s the big issue,” she said in a press conference.
