The website of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) went offline Saturday evening amid reports that the Trump administration was preparing to curtail USAID’s independence by placing it under the direct oversight of the State Department.
An error message on USAID’s website read: “This site can’t be reached Check if there is a typo in www.usaid.gov. DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN.”
Two sources familiar with the transition told Reuters that a major overhaul is expected in how Washington allocates US foreign aid, with USAID losing its independence and most likely coming under the control of the State Department.
By late Saturday, a new ‘lite’ page for USAID appeared on the State Department’s website.
Trump’s been purging and intimidating USAID employees.
Now there’s a rumor he’ll dissolve USAID as an independent agency.
It was created by JFK and established in law to further our national security and spread hope.
This’d be illegal and against our national interests.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) February 1, 2025
Like I said before, USAID is a front for the CIA. And together with NGO’s like the Open Society Foundation, they have been using US tax dollars & govt resources as their personal piggy bank. It has been infuriating to watch. Hopefully now the whole truth will come out. https://t.co/0eMqwBi3OR
— Lara Logan (@laralogan) February 2, 2025