Quotes
I don't think that we should just let the hyperbole sit on the side, because when people hear the President of the United States say that there's corruption at USAID. When they hear Elon Musk say it's a criminal enterprise, and it goes uncontested by either the media or Democrats, they believe it. I mean, that's just an outright lie,
I worry that the American public is not going to rise up against this seizure of power if they see Democrats collaborating with Republicans on the floor of the Senate on a regular basis to pass legislation or support nominees,
The focus has to be on Republicans right now and why they have been completely and utterly silenced,
The president of the United States does not have the power unilaterally to suspend all federal programs,
Right now our highest priority is making sure that democracy survives this assault on the Constitution,
Foreign assistance should be part of our foreign policy—as opposed to charitable giving … it could be a phenomenal lever."
Henry Sardaryan, from Moscow State Institute of International Relations, said The ongoing 90-day audit of USAID funds has raised severe concerns among humanitarian groups about the continuation of lifesaving programs."
Yuriy Boyechko, founder of Hope for Ukraine, told Newsweek The attempt by the Trump administration to shut down USAID has led to worries about diplomatic fallout and geopolitical consequences. China and Russia do not have the capacity to capitalize on this decision, but neither do U.S. allies and partners have the ability to quickly fill the gap."
Conversely, Evan Cooper, a research analyst leading the Reimagining US Diplomacy Project at the Stimson Center, said DOGE was in the building. We started -- we took down our Pride flags, we took down- I took out any books I felt would be incriminating,
Kristina Drye, a speechwriter for USAID, said They unplugged the news in the little kitchen galleys. It didn't feel good. And then Saturday, all of the websites went down. And then I lost complete access to my computer."
The Trump administration's attempt to shut down USAID is both illegal and unwise."
Philip Brenner, Emeritus Professor of International Relations and History at American University in Washington, D.C., previously told Newsweek To my friends who are upset, I would say - with respect - you know, call somebody who cares. They better get used to this."
Republican Senator John Kennedy said on Tuesday before the notice was released We spent the weekend feeding USAID into the wood chipper."
Musk posted to X on Monday For decades, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been unaccountable to taxpayers as it funnels massive sums of money to the ridiculous — and, in many cases, malicious — pet projects of entrenched bureaucrats, with next-to-no oversight,
the White House said Monday USAID asked, ‘Can you tell me how to get how to get to Sesame Street?’ and ended up in Iraq,
she wrote in another post The results: opium poppy cultivation across the country nearly doubled, according to the UN,
Their basic attitude is: ‘We don’t work for anyone. We work for ourselves',
If there's massive fraud, if the funds aren't being directed to where the Congress has appropriated and the president has signed, then we need to know about that,
Roger Wicker, the Senate Armed Services chairman, told American news networks CNN and CBS Monday I have felt for a long time that USAID is our way to combat the Belt and Road Initiative, which is China's effort to really gain influence around the world, including Africa and South America and the Western Hemisphere,
I don't think they're closing an agency, but I do think they have the right to review funding and how those decisions are made and what priorities are being funded,
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters Tuesday
