USAID Shutdown Sparks Backlash from former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, along with U2 frontman Bono, as the agency officially closed this week. The Trump administration shut down the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), citing widespread fraud and inefficiency.
On Monday, Obama, Bush, and Bono addressed departing USAID employees during a private videoconference. The Associated Press reviewed the footage and reported their remarks later that day.
Obama strongly condemned the closure. “Gutting USAID is a travesty,” he said. He described the shutdown as “a colossal mistake.” According to him, USAID’s mission represents some of the most valuable global work.
Bush, who rarely criticizes Trump publicly, nevertheless spoke with emotion. He went on to highlight USAID’s contributions to global health. ‘You’ve shown America’s strength through your good heart,’ Bush told staffers. In particular, he pointed to the agency’s AIDS and HIV program, which he said helped save 25 million lives
Bono added a poetic tribute. He accused critics of smearing dedicated public servants. “They called you crooks, when you were the best of us,” he stated. USAID Shutdown Sparks Backlash not just because of politics, but also because of its humanitarian legacy. Established under President John F. Kennedy, the agency had delivered foreign aid for over 60 years.
The Trump administration, however, claimed USAID had become wasteful and politically biased. It was one of the first agencies investigated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in early 2025. Elon Musk, then head of DOGE, called it “a viper’s nest of radical-left Marxists.”
However, As of July 1, the State Department officially absorbed all USAID functions. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the transition on Tuesday. He claimed the agency had repeatedly failed to achieve development goals.
Rubio cited examples of misused funds. “Millions went to causes that don’t align with American interests,” he said. He pledged more efficiency and accountability moving forward.
Obama and Bush have usually remained silent about Trump’s policies. However, the USAID shutdown drew rare public responses. Bono, a longtime USAID supporter, warned of global consequences. He previously said funding cuts could result in hundreds of thousands of deaths.
USAID Shutdown Sparks Backlash from other figures as well. Hillary Clinton thanked foreign service workers for their efforts. “Their work saves lives and makes the world safer,” she posted.
Trump, for his part, defended the move. In March, he praised DOGE’s findings in a speech before Congress. He listed examples of spending he viewed as absurd. These included diversity scholarships in Burma and inclusion programs in Africa.
“This era of government-sanctioned inefficiency is over,” Trump declared. With USAID gone, he said, America will fund only what serves its national interests.
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