Former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, along with U2’s Bono, gathered to support employees of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on Monday. This comes amid ongoing allegations of fraud and mismanagement that have been particularly highlighted during Donald Trump’s presidency.
Bush expressed deep concern about the agency’s closure, calling it a “tragedy” during a video meeting with the staff. “It’s part of the most important work happening anywhere in the world,” he added, emphasizing the global significance of USAID’s mission.
Obama also weighed in, labeling the decision to shut the agency a “giant mistake” and suggested that, eventually, political leaders would recognize its importance. Both former presidents, along with Bono, connected with USAID employees via videoconference following a report from the Trump administration that had cited the agency for corruption and poor management. Media were not present during the meeting, but clips were later disseminated by the Associated Press.
USAID, created under John F. Kennedy to provide economic aid to foreign nations, was one of the first to be scrutinized by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) back in February. Elon Musk, the DOGE leader, has criticized USAID, referring to it as a “nest of radical left Marxist Vipers who hate America.”
As of Tuesday, USAID has been merged into the State Department.
Bush lamented that the end of USAID also signifies a loss of progress made during his administration in combating AIDS and HIV, a program that is believed to have saved around 25 million lives.
“You have shown great strength in America through your work – and that’s your good heart,” Bush conveyed to the employees, according to reports. Bono, on his part, shared a poem during the conference that reflected on the agency’s closure, claiming it could lead to many lives lost globally. “They called you a con man when you were our best,” he remarked.
Hillary Clinton, another prominent figure critical of Trump, took to social media to commend foreign service officers before the USAID closure. “Their work saves lives and makes the world safer,” she expressed, emphasizing the importance of their roles.
Both Bush and Obama have largely remained silent regarding Trump’s policies since he assumed office, though they attended his inauguration. Obama has taken issue with Trump’s significant spending, while Bush has refrained from direct criticism of the former president.
Bono previously voiced that cutting USAID would result in numerous deaths, even labeling Trump as potentially the “worst idea” for the country in 2016.
Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State who briefly administered USAID, stated that the State Department would now handle foreign aid, citing inefficiencies within USAID. He claimed the agency had often fallen short of its developmental goals.
“This era of government-sanctioned inefficiency has officially come to an end,” Rubio declared. The Trump administration, he noted, aims to carry out foreign aid that aligns more closely with U.S. interests. Come July 1, he stated, USAID would cease to officially provide foreign aid.
The shutdown of USAID is part of a broader initiative by Trump to eliminate waste from the federal government. The former president has previously lauded DOGE for identifying billions in government waste, using USAID as a key example.
Trump pointed to specific instances of what he deemed ineffective spending, noting various controversial projects and initiatives funded under the agency.
