Entrepreneur and billionaire Elon Musk’s rapid rise as a central figure in the Trump Administration is both a testament to his influence and a reflection of the American public’s demand for sweeping government reform. The November election delivered a clear mandate for dismantling bureaucracy and streamlining federal operations. Mr Musk, with his reputation for efficiency and disruption, is now executing that vision with characteristic speed and force. His leadership at the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) has already led to dramatic restructuring efforts.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), once a pillar of American foreign aid, has been particularly affected. Critics argue that Mr Musk’s move to freeze its operations and sideline its leadership amounts to political retribution rather than reform. But supporters see it as a long-overdue correction to a bloated agency, often criticized for inefficiency and misallocation of funds. The........

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