Today's News: DOGE Moves to Shut Down USAID

USAID headquarters in Washington, D.C., was closed, employees were locked out of systems, and access to internal files was reportedly transferred to the State Department.

The Newsie Project is an experiment using AI tools to survey contemporary reporting. It attempts to summarize, compare, and contrast the reporting of the major US online news sources.

Editor’s Note: Starting yesterday, I added The Wall Street Journal as a sixth news source.

Photo: Annabelle Gordon/Reuters

Overview

• Date: February 3, 2025

• Topic: Trump and Musk’s Effort to Shut Down USAID Sparks Controversy

• Summary: The Trump administration, with the support of Elon Musk, has moved to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), citing inefficiency and partisan bias. USAID headquarters in Washington, D.C., was closed, employees were locked out of systems, and access to internal files was reportedly transferred to the State Department. Musk publicly stated that he and Trump had agreed to shut down USAID, while Trump himself called the agency a “radical” institution. The move has triggered a legal and political backlash, as USAID was established by Congress, making its dissolution without legislative approval a contentious issue. Lawmakers, particularly Democrats, have condemned the action as unconstitutional, while some Republicans support restructuring the agency. The situation has escalated with reports of Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) officials accessing classified USAID materials, raising security concerns.

Sources

• CNN: USAID’s future appears bleak as Musk and Trump work to dismantle agency

• NBC News: Elon Musk says he and Trump are shutting down USAID

• Fox News: USAID closes HQ to staffers Monday as Musk says Trump supports shutting agency down

• The New York Times: Musk Says Trump Wants to Shut Down U.S. Foreign Aid Agency

• The Wall Street Journal: Trump Administration Closes USAID Headquarters

• The Washington Post: Trump moves to wrest control of USAID as Musk says, ‘We’re shutting it down’

Key Points

• Elon Musk announced that he and Trump have decided to shut down USAID, claiming it is beyond repair.

• USAID headquarters was closed, and staffers were locked out of systems, with key personnel placed on leave.

• The administration is considering folding USAID into the State Department despite legal questions over whether it can be dissolved without congressional approval.

• Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) personnel reportedly accessed classified USAID materials, sparking security concerns.

• The move is part of a broader effort by Trump to reduce federal spending and reshape U.S. foreign aid policy.

Unique Highlights

• CNN: USAID’s website and social media accounts were taken down, and visuals showcasing its global aid work were removed from its offices.

• NBC News: USAID’s security leadership was removed after refusing DOGE officials access to classified areas, raising concerns about unauthorized data access.

• Fox News: Musk called USAID a “criminal organization” and a “viper’s nest” of leftists who “hate America,” justifying its shutdown.

• The New York Times: USAID’s sudden closure has left thousands of employees in limbo, with many reporting they were unable to log into their work systems.

• The Wall Street Journal: USAID’s closure follows a Trump executive order freezing all foreign aid for 90 days, leading to layoffs and halted international assistance programs.

• The Washington Post: Congressional Democrats are seeking legal options to prevent USAID’s dismantling, warning that it could have national security and diplomatic consequences.

Contrasting Details

• CNN and The Washington Post emphasize the legal challenges of dissolving USAID without congressional approval, while Fox News frames the move as a necessary government efficiency reform.

• NBC News and The Wall Street Journal highlight the security concerns raised by DOGE officials accessing USAID’s classified materials, while Fox News downplays these concerns.

• The New York Times reports that Trump himself has not explicitly stated that USAID will be fully dismantled, while NBC News and Fox News suggest the process is already underway.

• The Wall Street Journal focuses on the economic and diplomatic fallout, particularly regarding halted aid programs, while Fox News centers on ideological reasons for shutting down USAID.

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This is an evolving project. Tools, approaches, and output formats will change over time. The Newsie Project does not attempt to provide a definitive capsule of any news story. While the incidence of errors in these summaries is low, and I attempt to spot-check details, AI tools can hallucinate. Please click through and read the articles for details (some may be paywalled).