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Trump moves to shut down USAID, cuts aid to South Africa

PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s administration is preparing to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), a move confirmed by Elon Musk, his billionaire adviser.

According to Time, Musk who spoke during a live session on X space early Monday, February 3, claimed he had discussed the matter in detail with Trump, stating that “He (Trump) agreed we should shut it down.”

Describing the agency as beyond salvaging, Musk added, “It became apparent that it’s not an apple with a worm it in.  

 “What we have is just a ball of worms. You’ve got to basically get rid of the whole thing. It’s beyond repair. We’re shutting it down.”

The announcement came amid a growing controversy around USAID, with two senior security officials, John Voorhees and his deputy, Brian McGill, placed on leave after refusing to grant Trump’s inspection team – the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) – headed by Musk access to classified materials, according to a former U.S official who spoke with Associated Press on Sunday, January 2.

The official stated that despite lacking the necessary security clearances, DOGE eventually accessed USAID’s classified intelligence reports on Saturday, February 1. 

In response to reports about the incident, Musk wrote on X, “USAID is a criminal organisation. Time for it to die.” In another post, he said, “USAID is evil.” 

The planned closure of USAID is part of a wider push by the Trump administration to overhaul federal agencies.  USAID, which manages billions in U.S. foreign aid across more than 100 countries, has been a particular target of the Trump administration. 

The agency’s website was abruptly taken offline on Saturday without explanation.  

Trump suspends U.S. aid to South Africa

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Alongside the USAID controversies, Trump announced a suspension of all future funding to South Africa, accusing its government of confiscating land and mistreating certain groups.

Trump stated that the United States would withhold aid until these issues are thoroughly investigated. 

In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed South Africa was confiscating land and mistreating specific classes of people, 

He emphasised that such actions would not be tolerated by the United States. 

“South Africa is confiscating land, and treating certain classes of people very badly. It is a bad situation that the radical left media doesn’t want to so much as mention. A massive human rights violation, at a minimum, is happening for all to see. The United States won’t stand for it, we will act. Also, I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed,” Trump wrote.

Meanwhile, in response, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, while expressing his concerns about the development, stated that the country received little financial assistance from Washington outside of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Ramaphosa defended his country’s land reform policies, clarifying that the recently signed expropriation law aimed to ensure equitable and just access to land in accordance with the country’s constitution, rather than to confiscate property. 

“South Africa, like the United States of America and other countries, has always had expropriation laws that balance the need for public usage of land and the protection of rights of property owners.  



“We look forward to engaging with the Trump administration over our land reform policy and issues of bilateral interest. We are certain that out of those engagements, we will share a better and common understanding of these matters. 

“The US remains a key strategic political and trade partner for South Africa. With the exception of PEPFAR Aid, which constitutes 17 per cent of South Africa’s HIV/AIDS programme, there is no other funding that is received by South Africa from the United States,” he said.




     

     

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    Meanwhile, these were part of the many controversies that have trailed Trump’s administration since he returned to power. 

    The ICIR reported how Trump signed executive orders on his inauguration day on Monday, January 20, reversing several policies of his predecessor, Joe Biden.

    Some of the orders include pulling out the US from the World Health Organisation (WHO), the  Paris Climate Agreement, ending birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants, and recognising only two genders – male and female.

    The list includes defending women from gender ideology extremism, reinstating the ban on transgender military service, and renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, among others.

     

    Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M

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