Trump Slices up USAID and the Media Stays Silent

The destruction overseas and of the US economy grows 

As Trump’s slash-and-burn brand of government blunders its way toward the abyss, one of his early catastrophes has faded from memory. Dismantling the US Agency for  International Development (USAID) happened so fast it had a blink-and-you’d-miss-it unreality. Staff fired, lifesaving programs halted mid-stream and lettering pulled off the headquarters building in Washington. Elon Musk and his juvenile band of DOGE thugs spearheaded the mutilation, calling the agency “a criminal organization” and “beyond repair.”

A review of USAID’s work tells a different story; what’s been lost with the agency’s demise is massive. And those losses impact not only faraway countries and populations that many of us may never experience, but also lives and livelihoods right here in the US. We need the media to step up and make the public aware of what’s been lost with the destruction of USAID. 

The losses keep mounting

A study coauthored by a UCLA Fielding School of Public Health researcher estimates that there will be more than 14 million deaths worldwide over the course of five years as a result of the cuts to USAID. 4.5 million of those deaths will be children under 5.

Lives saved and health improved

From 2001-2021 USAID helped prevent 92 million deaths worldwide including:

  • 25M from HIV/AIDS

  • 11M from diarrheal diseases

  • 8M from malaria

  • 5M from tuberculosis

(Data from low- and middle-income countries)

Evaluation of USAID effectiveness by The Lancet

The Lancet, a highly influential, peer-reviewed weekly medical journal founded in 1823, publishes original research and reviews to advance medicine and public health globally. For a quick summary of USAID’s effectiveness see “Implications of all available evidence” on page 284.

The cost to taxpayers? Bargain basement

(0.2% of the FY 2025 US federal budget was available to USAID compared to the Dept. of Defense’s 16%)

"US citizens contribute about 17 cents per day to USAID, around $64 per year. I think most people would support continued USAID funding if they knew just how effective such a small contribution can be to saving millions of lives." 

-James Macinko, UCLA researcher and study coauthor

What does it mean? Digging into the details

The overall losses from the shutdown of USAID have immediate and long-term effects on the health and welfare of developing countries. The Global Policy Journal lays them out in this article from 3/20/25.  

In-depth snapshots:

USAID directly benefitted US companies and workers

Economic gains and job creation

USAID helps developing countries grow economically, creating demand for US exports—from agricultural products to tech services. American companies win contracts for infrastructure, health, and education projects abroad, supporting US jobs in engineering, logistics, and manufacturing.

In recent years, billions of dollars in USAID funding went to American businesses.

In-depth snapshot:
Wheat, corn, cornmeal, soybeans, lentils, and vegetable oil are some of the products USAID routinely purchased from US farmers.

  • Pawnee County Cooperative Association (PCCA) – Kansas

  • Midwestern Farmers (e.g., Kansas, Iowa, Georgia)

  • Grain Elevators Nationwide

  • Logistics and Processing Firms

Sources:

In-depth snapshot:
Technology and communication services and equipment have also been on the USAID shopping list to the benefit of US companies and workers. The aggregate of these contracts is in the multi-billion-dollar range. See a partial list below

  • Tetra Tech

  • DAI

  • Chemonics

  • Space X

  • John Snow International

  • ABT Associates

  • Management Systems International

  • Various sub-contractors (often embedded in broader contracts)

Sources:

USAID’s Feed the Future for Peace and the connection to domestic SNAP cuts

As the Trump administration slices in all directions, the cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the evisceration of USAID mean that thousands of small to medium US farms are left in a precarious economic position with the loss of one major buyer and the reduced buying power of another. Trump’s actions are resulting in the collapse of a food safety net that spans much of the globe. Further background 

As USAID collapses, China fills the gap

Since its inception in 1961 by President Kennedy, USAID has been a vital cornerstone of US soft power, known throughout the world for addressing poverty, disease, instability and catastrophic events. The Agency created goodwill and promoted democracy through the message “From the American People.” Thanks to Donald Trump, USAID’s collapse signals a retreat from global leadership and opens the way for China, in particular, to fill that void. 

The House Appropriations Committee pushes back

A glimmer of hope in a season of cruelty
The destruction of USAID was swift but not irreversible. You can help by demanding that the media shed light on the reckless dismantling of an Agency that has provided vital assistance abroad and jobs here in the US for 75 years. The Media Accountability Balance and Protection team has listed directories where you can contact local, national and international news sources directly and provide them with information they can use to build a story.

Contact news sources and share with your friends!

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