Shumita Basu

So far, Trump and Musk have moved to freeze most foreign aid for 90 days and reduce USAID's workforce of 10,000-plus to around 600 people. On Friday afternoon, a district judge nominated by Trump temporarily halted those plans until a hearing later this week. But that didn't stop the Trump administration from sending crews over to the agency headquarters to remove their name from the building.

As we've mentioned on this show before, USAID provides about 40 percent of the world's humanitarian aid. While some conservatives have grown increasingly critical of sending American aid abroad, The Atlantic's Russell Berman told us people on both sides of the aisle have been surprised.

As we've mentioned on this show before, USAID provides about 40 percent of the world's humanitarian aid. While some conservatives have grown increasingly critical of sending American aid abroad, The Atlantic's Russell Berman told us people on both sides of the aisle have been surprised.

As we've mentioned on this show before, USAID provides about 40 percent of the world's humanitarian aid. While some conservatives have grown increasingly critical of sending American aid abroad, The Atlantic's Russell Berman told us people on both sides of the aisle have been surprised.

Musk, in his role as chair of the Department of Government Efficiency, has referred to USAID as a criminal organization and said that he was, quote, feeding USAID into the woodchipper. Last week, White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt listed some examples of expenditures by USAID that she says prove that it's full of waste and corruption.

Musk, in his role as chair of the Department of Government Efficiency, has referred to USAID as a criminal organization and said that he was, quote, feeding USAID into the woodchipper. Last week, White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt listed some examples of expenditures by USAID that she says prove that it's full of waste and corruption.

Musk, in his role as chair of the Department of Government Efficiency, has referred to USAID as a criminal organization and said that he was, quote, feeding USAID into the woodchipper. Last week, White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt listed some examples of expenditures by USAID that she says prove that it's full of waste and corruption.

The Washington Post and PolitiFact have fact-checked those claims. It is true that USAID provided $1.5 million to a group in Serbia to reduce discrimination against the country's LGBTQ community, but the $70,000 for a DEI musical in Ireland is false. That grant came from the State Department, not USAID, and it went toward a music festival, not a musical, to, quote, promote the U.S.

The Washington Post and PolitiFact have fact-checked those claims. It is true that USAID provided $1.5 million to a group in Serbia to reduce discrimination against the country's LGBTQ community, but the $70,000 for a DEI musical in Ireland is false. That grant came from the State Department, not USAID, and it went toward a music festival, not a musical, to, quote, promote the U.S.

The Washington Post and PolitiFact have fact-checked those claims. It is true that USAID provided $1.5 million to a group in Serbia to reduce discrimination against the country's LGBTQ community, but the $70,000 for a DEI musical in Ireland is false. That grant came from the State Department, not USAID, and it went toward a music festival, not a musical, to, quote, promote the U.S.

and Irish shared values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. As for the opera in Colombia, that money also came from the State Department, not USAID. And the Fulbright program, not USAID, provided the grant that went to the comic book in Peru, which more broadly featured an LGBTQ plus character. Meanwhile, President Trump claimed USAID gave $8 million to Politico.

and Irish shared values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. As for the opera in Colombia, that money also came from the State Department, not USAID. And the Fulbright program, not USAID, provided the grant that went to the comic book in Peru, which more broadly featured an LGBTQ plus character. Meanwhile, President Trump claimed USAID gave $8 million to Politico.

and Irish shared values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. As for the opera in Colombia, that money also came from the State Department, not USAID. And the Fulbright program, not USAID, provided the grant that went to the comic book in Peru, which more broadly featured an LGBTQ plus character. Meanwhile, President Trump claimed USAID gave $8 million to Politico.

This is also not true. Staffers at USAID spent $40,000 on Politico subscriptions. In surveys, Americans believe the U.S. spends roughly 25% of our budget on foreign aid. The truth is, foreign aid is less than 1% of our budget. And The Washington Post reports that American farms supply about 41% of the food aid that USAID sends around the world each year.

This is also not true. Staffers at USAID spent $40,000 on Politico subscriptions. In surveys, Americans believe the U.S. spends roughly 25% of our budget on foreign aid. The truth is, foreign aid is less than 1% of our budget. And The Washington Post reports that American farms supply about 41% of the food aid that USAID sends around the world each year.

This is also not true. Staffers at USAID spent $40,000 on Politico subscriptions. In surveys, Americans believe the U.S. spends roughly 25% of our budget on foreign aid. The truth is, foreign aid is less than 1% of our budget. And The Washington Post reports that American farms supply about 41% of the food aid that USAID sends around the world each year.

In raw numbers, that totaled more than $2 billion in food bought from American farmers in 2020. So the impacts of the cuts would be felt here at home as well. Even Trump's own Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has been outspoken in the past about the need to maintain America's foreign aid and the influence that comes with doing so. Here he is speaking in February of 2013, for example.

In raw numbers, that totaled more than $2 billion in food bought from American farmers in 2020. So the impacts of the cuts would be felt here at home as well. Even Trump's own Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has been outspoken in the past about the need to maintain America's foreign aid and the influence that comes with doing so. Here he is speaking in February of 2013, for example.

In raw numbers, that totaled more than $2 billion in food bought from American farmers in 2020. So the impacts of the cuts would be felt here at home as well. Even Trump's own Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has been outspoken in the past about the need to maintain America's foreign aid and the influence that comes with doing so. Here he is speaking in February of 2013, for example.

And here's Rubio again in August of 2019.