July 3, 2025

The Fall of USAID

On June 22, 2025, The New York Times released a chronological story detailing the decline of USAID. The article, derived from investigations, interviews with former agency personnels, social media, and news sources, traces the period from President Trump’s inauguration until February 3rd, the final day of the agency’s operation.

Executive Order 14169 instructing USAID officials to immediately suspend new obligations and disbursements of development aid funding for a 90-day review provided ambiguous guidance, even to his own appointees. Jason Gray, the agency’s head chosen by President Trump, and several officials perceived the order as illegal and declined to act, as it jeopardized numerous life-saving programs and risked their personnel, especially in unstable regions. This perceived as insubordination. Backed with the looming idea of dismantling the agency for decades; financial fraud, waste, and abuse allegations; and the agenda of America First; the federal government–especially new political appointees at the State Department and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, which aims to reduce federal funding by $2 trillion–initiated the process of “feeding USAID into the wood chipper” on Thursday, January 30, instructing the agency’s employees not to report to the office by Monday, February 3. The agency’s 65-year existence concluded in just one week.

This article illustrates how political power can significantly influence the framework of global aid. Our next question is how we may reimagine aid that is accountable, equitable, and prioritize people.

Read the full article Missteps, Confusion and ‘Viral Waste’: The 14 Days that Doomed U.S.A.I.D.