In a move that has sent shockwaves through Washington, US President Donald Trump has launched a scathing attack on the US Agency for International Development (USAID), labeling its leadership as “radical lunatics” and initiating sweeping changes that could see the agency either drastically restructured or even dismantled altogether. The dramatic shift comes after reports emerged that two senior security officials at USAID were placed on leave following their attempts to prevent the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a newly established government oversight body led by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, from accessing USAID’s internal systems.

During a press briefing on February 2, Trump did not mince words when discussing the agency. “It’s been run by a bunch of radical lunatics, and we’re getting them out, and then we’ll make a decision,” he stated. His remarks follow an audit conducted by DOGE at USAID’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., which reportedly led to the agency’s official website and X (formerly Twitter) account going offline. The timing of the agency’s digital blackout has fueled speculation about the extent of the administration’s planned overhaul.

Elon Musk, a longtime critic of bureaucratic inefficiency, has played a central role in the developments surrounding USAID. On February 3, Musk disclosed that he had spoken with Trump, who allegedly confirmed that he was prepared to shut down USAID entirely. Speaking during an X Spaces livestream, Musk recounted the exchange, stating that he repeatedly asked Trump, “Are you sure?” to which the president responded affirmatively, saying, “So we’re shutting it down.”

Musk has long accused USAID of engaging in questionable activities, including the alleged financing of bioweapons research. According to the tech mogul, the agency had........

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