In a series of rapid and bold moves, the 78-year-old billionaire has frozen aid to South Africa, the birthplace of his key donor, Elon Musk, and has appointed himself as the head of the Kennedy Center, a prestigious cultural venue in Washington. “There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information,” Trump stated on his Truth Social network, adding that he was “immediately” revoking the Democrat’s security clearances and ending his daily intelligence briefings.
“JOE, YOU’RE FIRED,” he exclaimed in all caps. Traditionally, former US presidents are granted the right to receive intelligence briefings even after leaving office. Trump has also intensified his criticism of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which provides humanitarian aid worldwide. “THE CORRUPTION IS AT LEVELS RARELY SEEN BEFORE. CLOSE IT DOWN!” he declared on Truth Social, without presenting any evidence. USAID has faced severe scrutiny since Trump initiated a campaign, supported by Musk—who is the world’s richest person—to cut back or dismantle significant parts of the US government.
On Friday, Musk, along with Trump, shared misleading information regarding USAID’s finances and reposted images showing the agency’s signs being removed from its Washington headquarters. The Trump administration has halted foreign aid, ordered thousands of international staff to return to the US, and begun reducing USAID’s workforce from 10,000 employees to approximately 300.
Labor unions are contesting the legality of these actions, and a federal judge has temporarily paused the administration’s plan to place 2,200 USAID workers on paid leave by the weekend. Democrats argue that it would be unconstitutional for Trump to close government agencies without legislative approval.
The current US budget allocates about $70 billion for international assistance, which is a small portion of overall spending, yet it yields significant returns. USAID operates health and emergency programs in around 120 countries, including some of the world’s poorest regions, enhancing Washington’s efforts to compete for influence against rivals like China. Samantha Power, the former USAID chief under President Biden, criticized the situation in a harsh opinion piece in the New York Times, stating, “We are witnessing one of the worst and most costly foreign policy blunders in US history.”
Hard-right Republicans and libertarians have long questioned the necessity of USAID and have labeled its spending as wasteful. Additionally, Trump appointed himself as the chairman of the Kennedy Center, asserting that the venue did not reflect his values. “Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured drag shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP,” he wrote on Truth Social, without clarifying which show he was referencing.
Trump has consistently criticized gender-nonconforming individuals. He followed up on his promise to freeze US aid to South Africa, citing a law he claims allows farmland to be seized from white farmers, despite denials from Johannesburg. Musk has frequently criticized the South African government. Musk and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have aggressively targeted agencies that Americans have typically taken for granted. While Democrats have found it challenging to counter these budget-slashing maneuvers, legal actions are slowly emerging. A judge recently blocked Trump’s attempt to overturn the constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship and paused plans for mass buyouts of federal workers, pending arguments on Monday.
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