Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) recently criticized President Donald Trump and the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E.) after the United States Agency for International Development was shut down. On Monday, the USAID headquarters was closed to agency personnel amid D.O.G.E.’s attempt to reign in the organization.
Schumer expressed concern that if the Trump administration effectively shut down USAID, the president could theoretically target other agencies such as the IRS, the U.S. Postal Service, or the Social Security Administration. “Before our very eyes, an unelected shadow government is conducting a hostile takeover of the federal government,” Schumer began his remarks on the Senate floor.
Addressing the move from D.O.G.E, the minority leader continued, “This weekend, Doge staffers also executed what can only be described as an illegal seizure of the US Agency for International Development, or USAID. We don’t know who these Doge staffers are. We don’t know if they have security clearances. We don’t know of legal authority they have to access USAID facilities, if any.”
The New York Democrat lamented that USAID had been “completely ripped apart.” Schumer said, “Its offices are closed. Its contracts have been broken. Funding for its programs which protect American interests around the world have been halted.” Schumer claimed that there is “virtually nothing left of USAID.”
According to Schumer, scrapping USAID would jeopardize America’s national security interests among other humanitarian efforts. “We know shutting down USAID puts American security in danger. USA programs preserve America’s influence in Africa, Asia and regions across the world. Our humanitarian efforts are critical for fighting Ebola, which is spreading in Uganda right now. It’s essential for countering terrorist activity at the time of soaring edge egg prices shutting off USA programs that fight the global spread of bird flu is utterly asinine,” he added.
However, Elon Musk has maintained that USAID is an organization beyond repair and must be shut down. “USAID was a viper’s nest of radical-left marxists who hate America,” Musk said. “USAID is a criminal organization. Time for it to die,” the multi-billionaire said on X. Responding to Schumer, he added, “Hysterical reactions like this is how you know that @DOGE is doing work that really matters.”
Musk continued, illustrating the need to scale back USAID. “This is the one shot the American people have to defeat BUREAUcracy, rule of the bureaucrats, and restore DEMOcracy, rule of the people. We’re never going to get another chance like this. It’s now or never. Your support is crucial to the success of the revolution of the people,” he said.
