Quotes
The Department of State and other pertinent entities will be consulting with Congress and the appropriate committees to reorganize and absorb certain bureaus, offices, and missions of USAID,
Rubio wrote
Elon can’t do and won’t do anything without our approval. We’ll give him the approval where appropriate; where not appropriate, we won’t. But he reports in, and it’s something that he feels very strongly about,
Trump addedThis is a constitutional crisis that we are in today,
Raskin added[There ... There is a] Clinton-era law that basically says when it comes to really big structural changes to USAID then you need to go to Congress, and you can't do it alone, Mr President."
Levinson added
Can the President, via executive order, either abolish USAID or fold it into the State Department? And that raises some really serious questions about the reach of executive authority."
On Fox2, Levinson, asked about this latest move from the President and MuskDemocrats in Congress, NGO's they funded via USAID, USAID employees and the media are currently protesting outside of the USAID office that President Trump shut down. Look at the anti-DOGE sign. They're literally protesting against an efficient government and an end to fraud."
Filmmaker Robby Starbuck wrote_(cropped).jpg)
Watch panicked Democrats surround the USAID headquarters in DC in a desperate attempt to stop Elon Musk's ongoing discovery of their mass theft of public funds."
Alex Jones, the conspiracy theorist and right-wing commentator, posted on XI'm the acting director of USAID. I've delegated that authority to someone but I stay in touch with him. And again, our goal was to go in and align our foreign aid to the national interest."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio
We don't have a fourth branch of government called Elon Musk."
Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin
Congressional Dems made fools of themselves today at the USAID protest."
Charles Downs, a reporter for Loomered, wrote on X
People are going to die in very large numbers around the world who are expecting the United States to live up to our promises to get them medicine, to get them help... Donald Trump says we don't care. You go die."
CNN political commentator Van Jones
Trump and Musk are recklessly and illegally dismantling USAID, an essential national security agency that saves lives, advances U.S. interests, and promotes peace. Their malicious actions are putting the health of people, especially children, at grave risk, and will surely lead to future public health and migration crises in the U.S.—let alone suffering around the globe."
Senator Cory Booker, a Democrat from New Jersey, wrote on XWhen Elon Musk and Dmitry Medvedev unite, the impossible becomes possible. Is the U.S. trying to commit suicide?"
Ukrainian economist Tymofiy Mylovanov wrote on social media.jpg)
Smart move by Elon Musk, trying to plug USAID's deep throat. Let's hope the deep state doesn't swallow him whole..."
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council and one of President Vladimir Putin's closest allies, praised the move, writing on social media
Trump’s actions are weakening American global leadership and influence.”
Kim told Bloomberg on Monday, February 3
Our assistance abroad helps fight disease and stop starvation and famine, but it’s also a tool to stave off the expansionist reach of authoritarian leaders in China, Russia, and Iran.”
He addedThey're going to be part of American foreign policy, but it has to be aligned with American foreign policy,
he told reporters in El Salvador
It's not only a gift to our adversaries... it is plain illegal,
said Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland
Elon Musk makes billions of dollars based off of his business with China, and China is cheering at this action today,
claimed Senator Chris Murphy of ConnecticutI think he has the authority to make sure that it’s running correctly. As you’ve seen from Secretary Rubio’s statements, they’ve been trying for months and years to get information about how the money is being spent,
Thune said