In his paper published in Public Administration and Development, Don Moynihan, J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Professor of Public Policy at the Ford School, analyzes the unprecedented dismantling of USAID under President Trump’s second administration, orchestrated by Elon Musk. Moynihan describes how Musk, empowered by his role as a special advisor and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), rapidly shuttered the world’s largest provider of food aid—“and the dominant means by which the U.S. distributed foreign aid.” Moynihan contends that “this destruction had less to do with the actions of USAID than with the broader governing context of an American presidency that has embraced an authoritarian and populist approach to governing,” specifically by exploiting radical interpretations of unitary executive theory.
Moynihan details how Musk’s actions were fueled by viral conspiracy theories and personal animus rather than informed critique. Musk asserted—incorrectly—that “90% of USAID spending never reaches communities” and falsely claimed that “$50 million was spent to send condoms to Hamas,” among other unsubstantiated accusations. As Moynihan observes, “USAID may be the first case of a government agency killed by conspiracy theories,” with Musk bypassing expert input and branding the agency “a viper’s nest of radical-left Marxists who hate America.” The resulting purge extended beyond USAID, reflecting a broader pattern of hostility toward the professional civil service and international commitments under Trump’s unitary executive agenda.
The consequences of USAID’s dissolution were immediate and catastrophic, Moynihan reports. Humanitarian and disease-combatting efforts—key to preventing millions of deaths—ceased almost overnight. “An impact counter…estimated 103 deaths per hour because of aid cuts,” he notes, highlighting the magnitude of the crisis, particularly for vulnerable children. The move also damaged U.S. soft power and global standing; as Moynihan concludes, “even if a future Congress or President restores much of the funding, the damage to America’s status on the global stage may be irreparable. For those that live in the global south, the dismantling of U.S. capacity in domains such as poverty, food security, health, and natural disaster will make them more vulnerable to disease, disaster, and death.”
