The new Trump administration dismantled the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
According to the Congressional Research Service, the USAID had more than 10,000 employees around the world. Two-thirds of them operated outside the US. The USAID managed a budget of more than $40 billion in fiscal year 2023.
The decision was met with loud criticism from USAID’s supporters and received extensive coverage and debate in the international press.
Why did Trump take this decision?
UWI author, historian and political scientist Associate Professor Mehmet Perinçek evaluates the decision, providing insights into USAID’s activities and history.
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Mission: Destabilization
The USAID was one of the organizations used to weaken countries that stand as obstacles to US’s interests. Through its funding, it aimed to destabilize these countries from within, reshape societies and fuel social and religious conflicts.
It played a significant role in organizing “color revolutions” particularly across the former Soviet Union countries. That was why USAID was expelled from Russia and Azerbaijan. It was also highly active in Georgia, but after the Georgian government began to reclaim its sovereignty, USAID redirected its activities and funds to Armenia. Today, we know that USAID’s focus in the region has shifted toward Armenia, where it seeks to provoke and use the country against its neighbors. When we examine USAID’s activities in Türkiye, we see a similar pattern: efforts to fuel color revolutions, support for certain NGOs and LGBT organizations. In short, USAID served as a crucial instrument for the globalists in the US who wants to behave as the “world police”.
Confrontation within the US
The Trump administration, however, is in direct opposition, even in confrontation to these globalist forces like the Soros networks and organizations like USAID. He has also argued that institutions like USAID are a waste of American resources for ineffective efforts.
Also, on the international level, USAID’s activities often target Trump’s allies. In Europe, for instance, USAID and Soros-backed initiatives have worked against leaders aligned with Trump, such as Hungary’s Viktor Orbán. Their support for uncontrolled migration and socially disruptive movements like LGBT are among the key areas of division between USAID and Trump’s political vision.
Ultimately, Trump’s decision to dismantle USAID aligns with his broader political stance and reflects the ongoing struggle between globalists advocating for interventionist policies across the world and the Trump’s line which seeks to prioritize domestic issues. Additionally, this move may signal a policy of detente towards Russia, as USAID played a major role in encircling Russia and fostering anti-Russian sentiment across the post-Soviet region.
In sum, Trump’s decision is consistent with his long-standing policies.