The US agency’s destination for international development (USAID) became uncertain on Monday after Elon Musk, the richest man in the world in charge of reforming the federal government, said the President Donald Trump had signed the agency’s closure. In Washington, USAID’s headquarters was closed during the day, and employees were informed by email to stay at home.
A few hours later, United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that he will lead USAID interim.
Understand what USAID is
USAID was created in 1961 under the administration of President John F. Kennedy and is the humanitarian arm of the US government.
The agency distributes billions of dollars annually worldwide to relieve poverty, treat disease and respond to hunger and natural disasters. It also promotes the construction and development of democracy, supporting non -governmental organizations, independent media and social initiatives.
USAID is an essential US soft power tool to promote communities relationships worldwide, authorities say. The pillars of US National Security are the “Three D”: Defense, Diplomacy and Development, led, respectively, by the Department of Defense, State Department and USAID.
About 60 senior officials of the foreign aid agency were removed last week, accused of trying to circumvent Trump’s executive order to freeze foreign aid for 90 days. Many other junior and agency contractors were also on license, several sources said to CNN .
On Saturday (1st), the USAID website was disabled and a new agency page appeared on the State Department’s website. USAID’s X account was also offline on Saturday, and a source told the CNN that the agency’s entire public relations office was placed on leave and its systems were blocked.
This content was originally published in Understand what USAID is, an agency that can be closed by the Trump administration on CNN Brazil.
Source: CNN Brasil
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