The sudden, illegal, and mystifying disappearance of USAID

The U.S. Agency for International Development is apparently no more. There is so much to write about, so many things happening. But I can’t get the destruction of USAID out of my head. Its sudden disappearance is an ominous sign for where we are headed.

First, the way in which USAID was eliminated is troubling. The agency was created by Congress in 1961 to be an independent executive agency. In addition to creating it, Congress also authorizes its programs and spending. If it is to be eliminated or if spending is reduced, it must be done through an act of Congress. I will lay out below why I think USAID is so valuable, but if Congress took action to eliminate the agency and President Trump signed it...I would be against the action, but I would not be so concerned. The fact that the executive department just erased an agency, stopped most of its spending, closed its offices and fired or laid off its employees...without any public deliberation or discussion is almost unimaginable. You add on that the main actions were taken by a made up “department” (DOGE) led by a private citizen with unclear authorizations, no accountability and numerous conflicts of interest...it’s the stuff of dystopian novels about the collapse of democracy.

The action is clearly unconstitutional and illegal. But somehow that does not seem to capture just how disturbing it really is. What’s next? If you can close this agency in a matter of days, no executive agencies or departments are safe. The Department of Education seems to be in the crosshairs next, along with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (for some reason). But if they get away with this, the EPA, OSHA, EEOC, Department of Labor and who knows what else are also in danger. Heck, apparently every employee in the CIA was offered a buyout deal. Who needs intelligence anyway?

The method of closing USAID has immediate ramification for other departments and agencies over the next few months. It will also end much of the good humanitarian work that it does around the world. I am sure there is waste and corruption, and there are some questionable programs delivered by USAID. But it does enormous good for people around the world. One of the best examples is the President’s Malaria Initiative, which began under President W. Bush. The estimates are that between 2000 and 2015 it saved around 7 million lives. The U.S. is, or at least was, the single largest donor on malaria prevention and treatment in the world. How many people will die because of such foolish and rash decisions?

And this is just one example of the type of life-saving medical treatment and emergency relief provided by the agency. There are reports of offices being closed around the world and the employees being let go. There is no one left to administer these programs. There is no more money for these programs. In addition to the lives lost and affected, there are 10,000 Americans who are now unemployed and who have had their lives disrupted without warning. All of this without so much of a debate on the merits of the programs. The Constitution and American system of government is specifically designed to prevent such arbitrary abuses of power. But here we are.

I am most familiar with USAID’s efforts to promote democracy around the world. My master’s thesis examined the efforts of the United States to promote democracy in Russia in the 1990s. I spent months reading reports about the programs and what USAID was trying to do. The focus was on developing democratic values, such as adherence to rule of law, respect for individual rights, peaceful conflict resolution, and the importance of free and fair elections. USAID had similar programs throughout the former Communist bloc and in the rest of the world.

Such programs, just like the humanitarian aid programs, matched American interests with American values. At its best, the U.S. stands for democratic values and individual rights. There has always been an undercurrent in U.S. foreign policy seeking to promote democracy and human rights. As more and more countries around the world moved toward democracy, the USAID programs were designed to assist that democratic development and create countries with similar values. Allies that would support U.S. interests globally and work with the U.S. against perceived threats, such as China, terrorist groups and so on.

As the Russia example demonstrates, it was not always successful. But it had the effect of showing people that the U.S. was a place of hope. For opposition activists in authoritarian countries, active USAID programs were a lifeline and a way to connect with other like-minded people. The U.S. is weaker for ending such programs and countries such as Russia and Hungary that regularly complain about USAID are stronger. I am not sure what is so corrupt about such programs that you have to destroy the whole agency.

This gets to the heart of the issue. Ending USAID makes America weaker and less respected. Authoritarian governments win and democratic activists lose. Abruptly ending humanitarian programs will result in unnecessary suffering and loss of life, as well as harden hearts against the United States. And doing all of this while shredding the Constitution, with no explanation or rationale for why it should be eliminated, is just the icing on the cake.

Foreign aid has always been a target for those who complain about government waste and spending. And as much as I’m sympathetic to those arguments, and I’m sure there is waste in USAID, blowing the whole thing up is a disproportionate response. For less than 1% of our annual spending, we can save millions of lives, spread democratic norms, and build up good will from those in other countries. It is arguably one of the most effective agencies in our government. And now it’s gone. What’s next?