USAID

Experts attribute hindered response to DRC’s Ebola outbreak and significant deaths to cuts in USAID programs. Elon Musk has shifted focus to criticizing USAID, which he previously dismantled, amid SpaceX stock drops and Tesla lawsuits.

Experts claim cuts to USAID's Ebola programs have hindered the Democratic Republic of Congo's outbreak response and caused significant deaths. Elon Musk has shifted focus from his struggling companies to criticizing USAID on X, drawing attention to his previous role in dismantling the agency.

Venezuela's recent earthquakes killed over 1,400 people, prompting a U.S. response including USAR teams, $300 million in aid, and military support. The article critiques past U.S. disaster responses, such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, highlighting issues with in-kind donations and prolonged military involvement, advocating instead for cash aid to support local markets.

Foreign aid cuts have worsened the Ebola crisis, according to a virologist. The USAID closure is hampering containment efforts, experts say.

Critics claim the Trump administration mishandled Venezuela's earthquake response due to the absence of USAID, but the article argues these critics are incorrect. The response highlights the administration's ability to provide substantial aid without USAID's involvement.

J.D. Vance's 2016 essay in The Atlantic analyzed Donald Trump's appeal, attributing it to social decline and cultural trauma in working-class communities. The article critiques the Trump presidency for failing to address economic and health care issues, citing tariff-driven price increases, lost manufacturing jobs, and cuts to health agencies like the NIH and USAID.

A former USAID administrator reflects on a year since USAID's shutdown and expresses hope for the future of US foreign aid.

A former USAID administrator reflects on the agency's closure a year prior and expresses hope for the future direction of U.S. foreign aid. The article includes an image credited to Chip Somodevilla.

The dismantling of USAID has sparked debate over its role in fostering aid dependency in Africa and its humanitarian consequences. Critics highlight preventable deaths linked to aid cuts, while supporters argue foreign assistance has failed to advance American interests. The article emphasizes structural issues in African economies, where resource wealth often fails to translate into local development, and calls for stronger domestic governance.

A year after the Trump administration dissolved USAID, a poll shows most Americans still support foreign aid for disaster relief, disease prevention, and security. Over 70% of respondents backed maintaining or expanding aid after learning it accounted for just 1% of the US budget. Republican and MAGA voter support increased significantly when provided with details about aid outcomes.

The US is leading the response to a Venezuela earthquake with $300 million in humanitarian aid, following two massive quakes that killed over 1,700 people and left 50,000 missing. The Trump administration pledged $150 million within 24 hours and deployed four search-and-rescue teams and military personnel.

The US is responding to recent earthquakes in Venezuela, now considered an ally after the January deposal of President Nicolás Maduro. The Trump administration, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has deployed search and rescue teams and pledged a $150 million assistance fund.

Venezuelan earthquakes are testing Trump’s new western hemisphere policy as the US, under Marco Rubio, mobilizes disaster response teams and pledges $150 million in aid to a country where the US deposed President Nicolás Maduro in January.

Bloomberg This Weekend, hosted by David Gura, Christina Ruffini, and Lisa Mateo, provides weekend news coverage from New York. The show features former UN Ambassador and former USAID Administrator Samantha Power and Oklahoma Senator Alan Armstrong as guests.

Rep. Ro Khanna dismissed Elon Musk's threats of legal action over criticism of USAID cuts, asserting he would not be intimidated. Musk accused Khanna of lying and suggested suing him, while Khanna cited a Lancet Group study linking the cuts to potential child deaths. The dispute centers on Musk's role in reducing USAID programs during the Trump administration.

Rep. Ro Khanna, a 2028 presidential hopeful, dismissed Elon Musk's threats of legal action after criticizing Musk's role in USAID budget cuts, which Khanna claims may have caused global child deaths. Musk responded by calling Khanna a liar and suggesting legal action, while Khanna expressed confidence in his legal standing.

The U.S. has pledged earthquake relief to Venezuela, with the Trump administration's response being the strongest since dismantling USAID last year.

Child malnutrition in Nepal has reached 'alarming' levels according to a new survey, linked to the end of USAID funding for nutrition programs. The survey is the largest ever conducted on under-fives in the country, raising concerns about reversing progress in reducing child mortality.

Venezuela faces challenges in humanitarian relief efforts due to the Trump administration's closure of USAID. Christopher Sabatini of Chatham House criticizes the administration for requiring multi-agency coordination instead of utilizing an existing agency efficiently.

Deadly earthquakes in Venezuela, described as the strongest in a century, are testing the Trump administration’s disaster relief response after dismantling USAID. President Trump pledged U.S. support, signaling a potential diplomatic realignment with Venezuela and highlighting Washington’s role in aiding the country’s post-Maduro transition.

Elon Musk threatened to sue Rep. Ro Khanna after Khanna accused Musk of causing deaths by dismantling USAID. Musk defended his DOGE initiative, claiming it prevents aid fraud, while Khanna cited an academic study linking USAID cuts to child deaths.

Ebola is accelerating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with no approved medicine or vaccine for the virus. The response to the outbreak is being hampered by USAID cuts under Trump.

Ebola is accelerating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with no approved medicine or vaccine for the virus. The response is being hampered by Trump's USAID cuts.

Rep. Ro Khanna accused Elon Musk of potentially causing the deaths of 4.5 million children worldwide through spending cuts tied to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Khanna called for Musk to be investigated and subpoenaed, while also promoting a wealth tax proposal targeting billionaires. Host Jennifer Welch supported the criticism, linking Musk's actions to harm against the poorest populations.

Members of parliament have proposed establishing an independent Parliamentary Budget Office to provide unbiased budget analysis, with a 2025 private member's bill introduced but opposed by the Ministry of Finance. The bill was referred to a committee for review, but no amended draft has been presented for the 2026-27 budget debate. Examples of existing parliamentary budget offices in countries like Australia, Canada, and Afghanistan are cited.

Germany’s far-right AfD party seeks to abolish the foreign aid ministry, citing a fraud scandal at GIZ, the German Agency for International Cooperation, where 24 Yemen office employees were dismissed over alleged misdeeds. The scandal involves suspected embezzlement and fraudulent claims, with damage estimated in tens of millions of euros. AfD spokesperson Rocco Kever criticized Germany’s development aid policy, comparing it to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s approach to USAID.

Malawi faces education challenges following aid cuts after the Trump administration dismantled USAID, cutting over 5,000 programs and $40 billion in global funding. The article discusses the impact of these cuts on Malawi's education system a year later.

UN food agencies warn acute hunger will worsen in 13 global hotspots, including Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen, and Gaza, due to conflict, funding shortages, and climate shocks. The U.S. pledged $800 million to the World Food Program, but its $10 billion 2026 funding appeal remains underfunded.

The Trump administration's Africa strategy prioritizes trade and investment over aid, but its dismantling of diplomatic tools like USAID and visa restrictions has weakened U.S. leverage. Recent actions, including appointing Frank Garcia as assistant secretary of state for African affairs and legislative efforts to expand Africa expertise, highlight growing recognition of the need for stronger diplomatic capacity to secure strategic interests.

The article questions whether Elon Musk, now a trillionaire, can determine when his actions cause excessive harm. It references Musk's past statement about dismantling USAID and asks how many resulting deaths were acceptable.

President Donald Trump has implemented various renovations in Washington, DC, during his second term, including the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool's 'American flag blue' renovation, a UFC fighting ring on the White House South Lawn, and the shutdown of USAID through the Department of Government Efficiency. These projects, such as a proposed 250-foot arch and a $400 million White House ballroom, aim to commemorate events and enhance government efficiency, though some face legal challenges.

A State Department memo claims the US response to the Ebola crisis in Africa surpasses China's, citing US financial contributions and infrastructure efforts. The memo highlights over $200 million in US funding and 50 treatment centers in the DRC and Uganda, while noting China's delayed and unspecified assistance.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda is escalating, with warnings it could become one of the deadliest without a stronger response. The article examines how the loss of USAID support has weakened efforts to combat the outbreak, referencing Jeremy Konyndyk's past role leading USAID’s foreign disaster assistance during the 2014 Ebola crisis.

Susan Reichle, a 2014 U.S. Ebola response leader, compared the 2014 West African outbreak to the current Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda situation. In 2014, cases grew from 49 to 300 in 2.5 months; the current outbreak reached 300 confirmed cases in two weeks after hundreds of suspected cases emerged.

The Trump administration's actions led to the shutdown of USAID funding to Congo, disrupting humanitarian assistance and allowing Ebola to spread with less preparedness. The United States had been the largest donor to Congo, but most aid was halted abruptly without time for adjustment.

Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama discussed the financial and health challenges faced by his country after the closure of USAID, which previously provided $154 million annually, with nearly half allocated to health systems. The article highlights tensions over U.S. global health policies requiring data sharing, resistance from some African nations, and the impact of aid cuts on crises like the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo.

New research links the shutdown of USAID to increased violence in Africa, with countries receiving significant U.S. aid experiencing armed clashes, protests, and riots after the agency’s dismantling. The findings were published in the Science journal.

A former USAID employee pled guilty to wire-fraud charges related to a CARES Act scheme that enabled him to illegally obtain more than $176,000. Simeon Bakare previously worked on information technology matters for USAID.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda is linked to U.S. funding cuts to USAID, which reduced aid from $1.2 billion in 2024 to $67 million by late 2025. Defunded systems and loss of experienced workers hindered early containment of the third-largest Ebola outbreak in history.

The NIH funded a network of 10 centers in 2020 to study emerging infectious diseases, but grants were terminated in 2025 by the Trump administration as part of pandemic-related cuts. The cuts left the network unable to respond to recent Ebola and hantavirus outbreaks, with researchers citing weakened international collaborations and hindered outbreak preparedness.