In a significant development from Washington, President Donald Trump has tempered ambitious plans by Elon Musk to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The clash emerged after Musk, who heads the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), announced intentions to close the agency.
Speaking at the White House on Monday, President Trump made it clear that Musk’s authority has limitations.
“He can’t do and won’t do anything without our approval,” the President stated firmly. “Where we think there’s a conflict or there’s a problem, we won’t let him go near it.”
While President Trump has previously criticized USAID, calling it an agency run by “radical lunatics,” his recent statements suggest a more measured approach to any potential restructuring. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stepped in as the agency’s acting director amid the controversy.
Democratic opposition to the proposed shutdown has been swift and forceful. House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) labeled the move an “illegal, unconstitutional interference with congressional power,” emphasizing that Congress, not DOGE, has authority over the agency’s existence.
The situation has already impacted USAID operations, with staff reportedly being barred from their headquarters and facing restricted access to agency systems. The agency, which manages $43 billion in appropriations and provides assistance to approximately 130 countries, faces an uncertain future as this political drama unfolds in President Trump’s second term.
Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) criticized the situation, arguing that unelected billionaires shouldn’t have the power to make decisions affecting American workers and national interests.
As tensions escalate between the administration’s DOGE department and congressional Democrats, the future of America’s primary foreign aid agency remains uncertain.
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