Over the weekend and early into this week, Elon Musk’s so-called DOGE, Department of Government Efficiency, effectively shut down the US Agency for International Development on a temporary basis. Musk, Donald Trump and their lackeys attacked USAID because they claim it’s a “viper’s nest of radical-left [m]arxists who hate America,” to quote a Musk post on X, saying it’s a corrupt organization that promotes so-called DEI across the world and is used to waste money.

But behind the scenes, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is now the Acting Director of USAID, which is to be reconstituted under his State Department. Rubio, a fierce hawk when it comes to Cuba, Venezuela, China and beyond, will now be in charge of whatever comes up from the rubble.

USAID absolutely should be shut down, for real and for good, not just moved from one spot on the government org chart to another. It’s an arm of US soft power, often operating as a front for funding counter-revolutionary activity under the guise of aid or democracy programs.

Support the show