The Myth of American Generosity: How Trump and Musk Are Exploiting the Narrative

USAID is a tiny fraction of the federal budget, so why is this administration wasting its time dismantling it?

Photo Credit: USAID flickr/ MANA Nutrition Team Member holds a packet of RUTF.

The U.S. is the world's biggest humanitarian donor. When Americans hear this fact, they usually have one of two reactions–either pride about their contributions to the world or anger at their tax dollars being sent overseas. No prizes for guessing which button Trump activated with his sudden decision to shut down USAID, fire nearly every single one of its global employees, and close life-saving programs with barely any explanation.

Like so much that Americans are…uninformed about, most don’t know that USAID is actually tiny when it comes to federal spending. We're talking about just 1 percent of the budget, yet this small slice helps millions of people worldwide. And now, it's all coming to a screeching halt: On Friday, nearly all USAID staff globally will be placed on administrative leave, except for a skeleton crew handling critical functions.