Trump is illegally closing down USAID

[GhostFence]

After months of cuts, State Department says it's officially shuttering USAID

The move came several hours before a federal appeals court overruled a lower court's order that blocked Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency from dismantling USAID.

abc7.com

Trump administration officials, including Musk's DOGE group, have leading a widespread effort to dismantle the agency by laying off thousands of employees, revoking funding for more than 80% of its programs, and shedding its Washington, D.C., headquarters.

The decision to completely dissolve a federal agency is expected to prompt legal scrutiny, according to experts who said such a move would typically require congressional approval.

In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that the administration was officially moving to sunset USAID and that foreign aid would now officially be administered by the State Department.

Note, Conservatives: USAID was first created by President John F. Kennedy in a 1961 executive order but in 1988 Congress passed a law to make it an independent establishment. To dismantle the agency now requires AN ACT OF CONGRESS

Trump and DOGE are in violation of the Constitution. Anyone who argues this isn't a violation of the Constitution hereby concedes that they failed basic civics or they are in favor of lawlessness as long as it benefits Trump. Which is it?

 

[Luce]

You think the MAGAs give a **** about the rule of law?

 

[Athanasius68]

After months of cuts, State Department says it's officially shuttering USAID

The move came several hours before a federal appeals court overruled a lower court's order that blocked Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency from dismantling USAID.

abc7.com

Note, Conservatives: USAID was first created by President John F. Kennedy in a 1961 executive order but in 1988 Congress passed a law to make it an independent establishment. To dismantle the agency now requires AN ACT OF CONGRESS

Trump and DOGE are in violation of the Constitution. Anyone who argues this isn't a violation of the Constitution hereby concedes that they failed basic civics or they are in favor of lawlessness as long as it benefits Trump. Which is it?

So the Court of Appeals agrees that the actions to dissolve USAIDS is lawful, and the critics say it's the MAGA types who failed basic civics?

 

[Mycroft]

After months of cuts, State Department says it's officially shuttering USAID

The move came several hours before a federal appeals court overruled a lower court's order that blocked Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency from dismantling USAID.

abc7.com

Note, Conservatives: USAID was first created by President John F. Kennedy in a 1961 executive order but in 1988 Congress passed a law to make it an independent establishment. To dismantle the agency now requires AN ACT OF CONGRESS

Trump and DOGE are in violation of the Constitution. Anyone who argues this isn't a violation of the Constitution hereby concedes that they failed basic civics or they are in favor of lawlessness as long as it benefits Trump. Which is it?

You should probably familiarize yourself with the legislation that created USAID. The fact is, Congress left it up to the President and the State Department to decide what USAID does and how it does it.

The only way the courts will prevent Trump from dismantling the agency is by way of a crooked judge.

 

[SkyChief]

. . . Note, Conservatives: USAID was first created by President John F. Kennedy in a 1961 executive order but in 1988 Congress passed a law to make it an independent establishment. To dismantle the agency now requires AN ACT OF CONGRESS

I think this is true.

Trump and DOGE are in violation of the Constitution. . . .

This is NOT true.

No part of the U.S. Constitution prohibits the president from forming an independent advisory board to identify government waste and fraud. I checked - it doesn't exist.

A federal appeals court lifted an order blocking DOGE from further cuts at the USAID. The reason for this ruling is the USAID cuts were approved by government officials - NOT DOGE.

DOGE only recommended the cuts, so no constitutional statutes were violated.

 

[Jay59]

https://abc7.com/post/usaid-state-d...ternational-development-months-cuts/16097879/
Note, Conservatives: USAID was first created by President John F. Kennedy in a 1961 executive order but in 1988 Congress passed a law to make it an independent establishment. To dismantle the agency now requires AN ACT OF CONGRESS Trump and DOGE are in violation of the Constitution. Anyone who argues this isn't a violation of the Constitution hereby concedes that they failed basic civics or they are in favor of lawlessness as long as it benefits Trump. Which is it?

They have court approval.

However it was created, it evolved into a slush fund for liberal foreign policy. After a formal review, 80% of the expenditures were deemed not helpful to American interests.

 

[Noodlegawd]

After months of cuts, State Department says it's officially shuttering USAID

The move came several hours before a federal appeals court overruled a lower court's order that blocked Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency from dismantling USAID.

abc7.com

Note, Conservatives: USAID was first created by President John F. Kennedy in a 1961 executive order but in 1988 Congress passed a law to make it an independent establishment. To dismantle the agency now requires AN ACT OF CONGRESS

Trump and DOGE are in violation of the Constitution. Anyone who argues this isn't a violation of the Constitution hereby concedes that they failed basic civics or they are in favor of lawlessness as long as it benefits Trump. Which is it?

Please quote the language of the 1988 law referenced in your comment that mandates the existence of USAID.

 

[Nickyjo]

They have court approval.

However it was created, it evolved into a slush fund for liberal foreign policy. After a formal review, 80% of the expenditures were deemed not helpful to American interests.

Oh yeah, we have no interest in fighting the spread of AIDS in Africa. What’s in that for us?

 

[multivita-man]

So the Court of Appeals agrees that the actions to dissolve USAIDS is lawful, and the critics say it's the MAGA types who failed basic civics?

The litigation will continue even as USAID gets destroyed.

The problem is, there's no rewind. If the high court says Trump dismantled USAID illegally, there's no recourse. You can't just rebuild something like that.

USAID provides disaster relief, disease eradication & prevention, vaccination programs, education and training, food security programs, economic development assistance, ecological resilience. I know you and others probably don't care about or value these things, but China will see to it that they fill the void we leave behind.

 

[Nickyjo]

The litigation will continue even as USAID gets destroyed.

The problem is, there's no rewind. If the high court says Trump dismantled USAID illegally, there's no recourse. You can't just rebuild something like that.

USAID provides disaster relief, disease eradication & prevention, vaccination programs, education and training, food security programs, economic development assistance, ecological resilience. I know you and others probably don't care about or value these things, but China will see to it that they fill the void we leave behind.

Amazing that those who might applaud this move don’t realize that while US foreign policy involves the threat of military action to protect our interests, given our hundreds of bases around the world, another aspect of our foreign policy is to project our compassion and concern through humanitarian efforts. So yes, we might be ready to blow you Africans up, but we also stand ready to help cure you of horrific diseases, prevent starvation, etc.

 

[j brown's body]

They have court approval.

However it was created, it evolved into a slush fund for liberal foreign policy. After a formal review, 80% of the expenditures were deemed not helpful to American interests.

Bi-partisan foreign policy, which stood for about 60 years, but is no longer.

Appropriated through bi-partisan votes in Congress and supported by Democratic and Republican presidents.

All gone, because of the insanity of one man.

 

[Lursa]

I think this is true.

This is NOT true.

No part of the U.S. Constitution prohibits the president from forming an independent advisory board to identify government waste and fraud. I checked - it doesn't exist.

A federal appeals court lifted an order blocking DOGE from further cuts at the USAID. The reason for this ruling is the USAID cuts were approved by government officials - NOT DOGE.

DOGE only recommended the cuts, so no constitutional statutes were violated.

I think what I heard on the radio is that only Congress can dismantle USAID but POTUS can defund it, making it useless. Dont have more on it than that.

 

[Neue_Regel]

Bi-partisan foreign policy, which stood for about 60 years, but is no longer.

Appropriated through bi-partisan votes in Congress and supported by Democratic and Republican presidents.

All gone, because of the insanity of one man.

Perhaps it started out well meaning but has since been bastardized and taken advantage of. That and the fact we're tens of trillions in the hole and transgender puppet shows in Namibia isn't a country priority in 2025.

 

[Jay59]

Oh yeah, we have no interest in fighting the spread of AIDS in Africa. What’s in that for us?

Show your evidence.

 

[Nickyjo]

Show your evidence.

PROFAR, the AID program - with bi partisan support - has been credited with saving 25 million lives, mainly in Africa by fighting AIDS and Ebola. Look it up.

 

[GhostFence]

You should probably familiarize yourself with the legislation that created USAID. The fact is, Congress left it up to the President and the State Department to decide what USAID does and how it does it.

The only way the courts will prevent Trump from dismantling the agency is by way of a crooked judge.

They didn't give the White House the authority to dismantle it entirety. Claims that it's 80% fraud and waste are completely unfounded and lack any proof.

 

[CaughtInThe]

 

[PoliSciPulse]

It is technically not a violation of the Constitution if the agency still technically exists but isn't doing anything. So I can have a well-funded department with zero employees and it's still Constitutional. The issue is if I then take that funding and reappropriate that irrespective of Congress. So basically, every time Trump shutters an agency like that, he's creating a MASSIVE waste of money.

 

[Integrityrespec]

After months of cuts, State Department says it's officially shuttering USAID

The move came several hours before a federal appeals court overruled a lower court's order that blocked Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency from dismantling USAID.

abc7.com

Note, Conservatives: USAID was first created by President John F. Kennedy in a 1961 executive order but in 1988 Congress passed a law to make it an independent establishment. To dismantle the agency now requires AN ACT OF CONGRESS

Trump and DOGE are in violation of the Constitution. Anyone who argues this isn't a violation of the Constitution hereby concedes that they failed basic civics or they are in favor of lawlessness as long as it benefits Trump. Which is it?

Damn shame. Let's keep throwing away our tax dollars on dumb ass things.

 

[Pyrite]

Damn shame. Let's keep throwing away our tax dollars on dumb ass things.

Post #19


"Dumb ass things" such as keeping alive women, children, and men who have HIV?

"Pro-life" does not describe today's GOP.

 

[Mycroft]

They didn't give the White House the authority to dismantle it entirety.

It's not being dismantled completely. It is being absorbed into the State Department...and Congress allowed that to happen.

Claims that it's 80% fraud and waste are completely unfounded and lack any proof.

shrug...

Sure. You know more about that than Trump, I'm sure.

 

[Jay59]

PROFAR, the AID program - with bi partisan support - has been credited with saving 25 million lives, mainly in Africa by fighting AIDS and Ebola. Look it up.

80% of USAID programs did not pass the sniff test.

The other 20% were continued through State Dept.

Which ones do you support?

 

[Linuxcooldude]

I think this is true.

This is NOT true.

No part of the U.S. Constitution prohibits the president from forming an independent advisory board to identify government waste and fraud. I checked - it doesn't exist.

A federal appeals court lifted an order blocking DOGE from further cuts at the USAID. The reason for this ruling is the USAID cuts were approved by government officials - NOT DOGE.

DOGE only recommended the cuts, so no constitutional statutes were violated.

As said by the article, simply by laying off all workers, and not hiring any, will essentially render such an office moot. They don’t have to officially shut it down.

 

[Linuxcooldude]

It is technically not a violation of the Constitution if the agency still technically exists but isn't doing anything. So I can have a well-funded department with zero employees and it's still Constitutional. The issue is if I then take that funding and reappropriate that irrespective of Congress. So basically, every time Trump shutters an agency like that, he's creating a MASSIVE waste of money.

Ahhh…we got the same idea.

 

[Linuxcooldude]

They have court approval.

However it was created, it evolved into a slush fund for liberal foreign policy. After a formal review, 80% of the expenditures were deemed not helpful to American interests.

Love it! The liberal slush funds no more.