Internet Explodes With Memes As Trump, Elon Musk Move To Shut USAID: 'Amazon Prime Cancels...'

Last Updated:February 05, 2025, 15:18 IST

Trump and Elon Musk have called for shutting down the USAID, branding it a "criminal organisation" led by "radical lunatics". Almost all employees have been put on leave and ordered to return.

The Trump administration is moving to merge USAID under the US State Department amid Musk and Trump's calls for it to be shut down. (Reuters)

The US Agency for Development (USAID) has been in turmoil since US President Donald Trump and one of his top advisers, tech mogul, Elon Musk have called for shutting down the agency. The Trump administration is working on merging the agency with the State Department as almost all workers have been pulled from their jobs.

The Trump administration on Tuesday said USAID staff around the world will be placed on administrative leave on Friday and have been ordered to return to the United States, as the agency responsible for humanitarian aids and development assitance in foreign countries was being dismantled following Trump’s sweeping freeze on almost all foreign aid.

Furthermore, Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday announced he would be acting administrator of USAID, confirming the de-facto takeover of the humanitarian agency by the State Department, according to CNN. Dozens of senior officials have been placed on leave, thousands of contractors have been laid off and employees were told not to report to the USAID’s Washington headquarters.

Musk, as head of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, called USAID a “criminal organisation" and “a viper’s nest of radical-left Marxists who hate America" amid his efforts to shrink the federal government, despite opposition by Democrats. Trump said the agency was “run by radical lunatics" and said he was considering its future.

ALSO READ: From Energy To Health: How Trump’s USAID Freeze Could Impact Key Projects In India

Meme-Fest Erupts Over USAID’s Impending Shutdown

Tensions between the White House and USAID escalated when officials working for Elon Musk’s DOGE were reportedly denied access to secure financial data at USAID headquarters, after which two senior security officials were put on leave. Rubio also accused the agency of “insubordination".

USAID, which is considered a soft power tool of the US to foster relations with the communities around the world, has been called “corrupt", wasteful by Trump’ allies. The State Department last week vowed to review all foreign assistance programs and ensure spending aligns with “the America First agenda."

There has been significant criticism of the agency on social media as netizens accused USAID of wasting taxpayers on diversity initiatives abroad, including in Nigeria, Ireland, Colombia and Peru. The imminent shutdown of the agency has sparked a flurry of memes supporting Trump’s decision.

ALSO READ: What Is USAID, Why Trump Wants To Shut It Down, How Will This Hit Programmes Worldwide? Explained

“Amazon Prime cancels Rings of Power Season 3 after USAID grant funding for “Increased Racial Diversity and LGBT Representation among the Peoples of Middle Earth" gets axed by DOGE," read a satirical tweet.

“I started reading the news about USAID yesterday and heard about all the things they spent money on and the first thing I thought about was this scene from the opening sequence of the movie “Outbreak"" read another Instagram post.

The USAID was established in 1961 under President John F Kennedy’s administration and is the US government’s humanitarian arm. It dispenses billions of dollars annually across the world in an effort to alleviate poverty, treat diseases, and respond to famines and natural disasters.

The decision to withdraw direct-hire staff and their families earlier than their planned departures is expected to cost the government tens of millions of dollars in travel and relocation costs while halting billions of dollars in projects in some 120 countries.

Democratic lawmakers and others say the USAID is enshrined in legislation as an independent agency, and cannot be shut down without congressional approval. Supporters of USAID from both political parties say its work overseas is essential to countering the influence of Russia, China and other adversaries and rivals abroad.

(with agency inputs)

Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

News viral Internet Explodes With Memes As Trump, Elon Musk Move To Shut USAID: 'Amazon Prime Cancels...'