As foreshadowed in my earlier examination of the Trump administration’s ambitions to consolidate control over U.S. foreign policy institutions, the past week has seen an unprecedented escalation in efforts to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The agency, a cornerstone of American global humanitarian engagement since 1961, now finds itself in the crosshairs of a coalition led by President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk. Their campaign has labeled USAID as ‘criminal’ and ‘Marxist,’ raising urgent concerns about the unchecked activities of USAID and similar NGOs.

Over the weekend, Trump-aligned operatives from the newly rebranded “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), led by Musk, stormed USAID headquarters in Washington. Their mission: to seize control of secure facilities, including Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs), which house classified materials. When career security officials John Voorhees and his deputy refused access to DOGE personnel lacking proper clearances, they were placed on administrative leave-a move that alarmed lawmakers and exposed glaring security risks.

This confrontation followed Musk’s public declaration on X (formerly Twitter) that he and Trump had agreed to “shut down” USAID, which Musk labeled a “viper’s nest of radical-left Marxists.” His posts, devoid of evidence but laden with incendiary language, framed the agency as irredeemably corrupt. Meanwhile, USAID’s digital presence-its website, X account, and Instagram-vanished, signaling either a deliberate takeover or technical sabotage.

As highlighted in prior analysis, Trump’s return to power has reignited his crusade against institutions perceived as obstacles to his “America First” doctrine. USAID, which manages a $40 billion portfolio supporting global health, poverty alleviation, and disaster relief, represents........

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