US Government website and social media page go offline
USAID's website and X account are currently unavailable as US President Donald Trump takes action to freeze foreign aid. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The White House is reportedly contemplating merging the agency into the State Department.
The website of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) went offline following an executive order by President Donald Trump, which pauses most American foreign aid programs for three months in order to reassess overseas spending.
As of Saturday afternoon, the site became inaccessible, displaying a message indicating that the “server IP address could not be found.” On the same day, the agency’s account on X also vanished. This disruption coincides with reports that the Trump administration is looking to place USAID under the authority of the State Department.
Last week, Trump signed an executive order that halts most US foreign aid for 90 days, citing a need for a thorough review of fund allocation. The order asserts that “billions of taxpayer dollars flow to programs that do not serve American interests and, in many cases, actively work against them.”
The White House has positioned this initiative as part of Trump’s ‘America First’ strategy, targeting unnecessary spending and shifting resources toward domestic priorities.
USAID, which manages humanitarian and development programs outside the United States, has been notably affected by these changes, having expended over $60 billion on foreign assistance in 2023 alone.
On Friday, Reuters reported that the Trump administration is planning to diminish USAID’s independence by transferring it under the State Department’s purview. Sources familiar with the discussions indicated that the National Security Council has held meetings on the topic, and legal avenues are being examined for Trump to issue an executive order to formalize the merger. Some officials believe the order could be enacted as soon as this weekend. Images of USAID headquarters reviewed by Reuters show that signs featuring the agency’s official emblem have already been taken down.
Critics have denounced the proposed restructuring, with Senator Chris Murphy, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, cautioning that the move may provoke legal challenges. He stated, “A president cannot eliminate an appropriated federal agency by executive order. That’s what a despot – who wants to steal the taxpayers’ money to enrich his billionaire cabal – does,” in a post on X on Friday.
Billionaire Elon Musk, who is advising Trump on reducing the size of the federal government, responded by saying: “Live by executive order, die by executive order.”
USAID was established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy via an executive order, consolidating various foreign assistance programs into a single agency. Its mission has focused on fostering economic growth, addressing humanitarian crises, and promoting US national security interests globally.
Nonetheless, the agency has been criticized for its effectiveness, with experts doubting whether its assistance initiatives successfully achieve their goals. Walter Kerr, co-executive director of Unlock Aid, remarked earlier this month, “About 98 percent of USAID grants pay for activities and not results. Less than 10 percent of our foreign assistance dollars flowing through USAID is actually reaching those communities.”
Emily Johnson contributed to this report for TROIB News
The website of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) went offline following an executive order by President Donald Trump, which pauses most American foreign aid programs for three months in order to reassess overseas spending.
As of Saturday afternoon, the site became inaccessible, displaying a message indicating that the “server IP address could not be found.” On the same day, the agency’s account on X also vanished. This disruption coincides with reports that the Trump administration is looking to place USAID under the authority of the State Department.
Last week, Trump signed an executive order that halts most US foreign aid for 90 days, citing a need for a thorough review of fund allocation. The order asserts that “billions of taxpayer dollars flow to programs that do not serve American interests and, in many cases, actively work against them.”
The White House has positioned this initiative as part of Trump’s ‘America First’ strategy, targeting unnecessary spending and shifting resources toward domestic priorities.
USAID, which manages humanitarian and development programs outside the United States, has been notably affected by these changes, having expended over $60 billion on foreign assistance in 2023 alone.
On Friday, Reuters reported that the Trump administration is planning to diminish USAID’s independence by transferring it under the State Department’s purview. Sources familiar with the discussions indicated that the National Security Council has held meetings on the topic, and legal avenues are being examined for Trump to issue an executive order to formalize the merger. Some officials believe the order could be enacted as soon as this weekend. Images of USAID headquarters reviewed by Reuters show that signs featuring the agency’s official emblem have already been taken down.
Critics have denounced the proposed restructuring, with Senator Chris Murphy, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, cautioning that the move may provoke legal challenges. He stated, “A president cannot eliminate an appropriated federal agency by executive order. That’s what a despot – who wants to steal the taxpayers’ money to enrich his billionaire cabal – does,” in a post on X on Friday.
Billionaire Elon Musk, who is advising Trump on reducing the size of the federal government, responded by saying: “Live by executive order, die by executive order.”
USAID was established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy via an executive order, consolidating various foreign assistance programs into a single agency. Its mission has focused on fostering economic growth, addressing humanitarian crises, and promoting US national security interests globally.
Nonetheless, the agency has been criticized for its effectiveness, with experts doubting whether its assistance initiatives successfully achieve their goals. Walter Kerr, co-executive director of Unlock Aid, remarked earlier this month, “About 98 percent of USAID grants pay for activities and not results. Less than 10 percent of our foreign assistance dollars flowing through USAID is actually reaching those communities.”
Emily Johnson contributed to this report for TROIB News
