Rep. Smith Responds to Trump’s Illegal, Dumb Foreign Policy to Gut USAID

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Smith released the following statement:

Donald Trump and Elon Musk are gutting the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), effectively shutting down American efforts to combat famine, provide disaster assistance, remove landmines, and fight the spread of infectious disease like HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis.

They have halted U.S. foreign aid, purged over 1,000 staffers, and are now attempting to dissolve it as an independent agency. This is illegal, dumb foreign policy. It makes America less safe, less prosperous, and it will literally kill people.

USAID delivers lifesaving aid across the globe, with programs to remove landmines from war-torn areas and programs to stop the spread of infectious diseases. They have programs to respond to global disease outbreaks to prevent them from reaching U.S. shores. Through pre-natal care for expecting mothers and early childhood vaccinations, USAID is estimated to have saved the lives of nearly 5 million children and at least 200,000 women. We know that eliminating USAID will lead to more deaths across the globe and increase the likelihood of the transmission of deadly diseases into the United States.

Additionally, if we stop investing in agriculture, energy, digital technology, and infrastructure globally, then we push countries who cannot rely on the U.S. into the arms of our adversaries, who are aggressively building out infrastructure as they seek to increase their own influence. Trump and Musk talk about outcompeting China and Russia, but their recent actions only debilitate U.S. leadership and take us out of the competition altogether.

Furthermore, investments in foreign aid are investments in the U.S. economy. 11 of America’s top 15 export markets are former recipients of U.S. foreign assistance. By stepping away from investments in economic development, we lose an advantage in key export markets, from the Indo-Pacific to Africa to the Western Hemisphere.

USAID recognizes that the United States cannot act like an island in this world; our actions and inactions can have tremendous consequences for global stability. Given the illegality of Trump and Musk’s efforts, I am certain that this will go to the courts next. I will do everything in my power to protect U.S. investments in foreign aid.
 

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