Trumps Assault on USAID

Core US foreign aid has humanitarian value, but absurd progressive spending wastes tax dollars. Trump and Elon reveling in the glory and spotlight in cutting waste may go way too far and damage US humanitarian image, opening up a Russia and China global take over. Trumps authoritarianism may exceed intended and rational purposes.

Cutting unnecessary USAID staffing is appropriate for the desired amount of foreign aid, but wholesale slaughter of the agency may violate the providence of the legislative branch. Cutting spending waste and over staffing is highly desirable, and Trump and Elon should be commended for that, but it can go to far, destroying desirable foreign humanitarian aid and violating congressional constitutional authority.

Contributor Toby Yim

There are gross inefficiencies in USAID, because aid projects are tied to election cycles. The longest an aid project can theoretically go is 8 years. To actually complete an aid project can often take 10, even 20 years. While liberals may focus exclusively on the humanitarian value of an aid project, the real value of USAID is in its use for projecting soft power. Soft power can often accomplish what military action cannot, for dramatically less expense, and without costing us the lives of our servicemembers. And by dramatically less expense, we're talking 0.1% of the cost of invasion. Judicious use of power projection overseas protects us, along with access to markets. USAID, if and when it's reformed, can be our most effective, and far more inexpensive, tool for the job.