Trump Agrees to Shut Down USAID, Says Elon Musk

US President Donald Trump has agreed to shut down the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), according to tech billionaire and administration official Elon Musk. The agency, which has long been a cornerstone of American foreign aid, oversees billions of dollars in development and disaster relief efforts worldwide.

Speaking in an X Spaces stream late Sunday night, Musk said he had checked in with Trump multiple times about the decision. “Yes, we are shutting it down,” Musk quoted the president as saying. Hours earlier, Musk had called USAID a “criminal organization” and declared, “Time for it to die.”

Musk, who leads the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), made the remarks as USAID’s website went offline Saturday amid the administration’s freeze on foreign assistance. Reports suggest Trump is preparing an executive order to dismantle the agency and transfer its responsibilities to the State Department.

With a workforce of over 10,000 employees across more than 100 countries, USAID has already seen upheaval. Senior leadership figures have been removed, and nearly 400 contract workers have been laid off following Trump’s “stop work” order. Some agency employees also expressed concerns to the New York Times about the sudden installation of an AI program, Gemini, in their email systems.

Critics argue that Trump lacks the authority to unilaterally dissolve USAID, as the agency was created by Congress. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) warned that such a move would be unconstitutional. “Trump isn’t satisfied just to close programs and fire staff. He is now planning to ELIMINATE THE ENTIRE AGENCY. Maybe this weekend. That would be illegal,” Murphy wrote on social media.

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) also condemned the decision, calling it a strategic blunder. “Eliminating USAID, which prevents famines, counters terrorism, and creates more markets for US exports, would make the world a more dangerous place for Americans and be a gift to China and Russia.”

Since returning to office, Trump has aggressively pursued his “America First” agenda. On his first day, he withdrew the US from the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization (WHO). He has also reignited trade disputes with Canada, Mexico, and China, further escalating tensions on the global stage.