I spoke with
#BillGates about
#Trump’s recent actions in office, including his and# ElonMusk’s efforts to dismantle USAID. The Trump administration plans to slash the
#USAID workforce from over 10,000 to just 290 positions. Watch our full conversation on my YouTube channel or at the link in my bio. Founded in the early 1960s, USAID leads U.S. humanitarian aid and global development efforts and is the world’s largest source of foreign assistance, although several European countries allocate a much bigger share of their budgets to aid. USAID funds projects in some 120 countries aimed at fighting epidemics, educating children, providing clean water and supporting other areas of development. Gutting its workforce would have devastating consequences – not just for the agency, but for the broader global aid sector that depends on its support. USAID operates the world’s gold-standard famine detection system, using data analysis to predict food shortages. A significant portion of its budget also supports health initiatives, including polio vaccinations and pandemic prevention efforts. Compounding the crisis, Trump’s sweeping freeze on foreign aid has halted funding for HIV programs abroad, jeopardizing the health of over 20 million people, including 500,000 children. Although subsequent waivers from the State Dept. allowed work to continue, funding and legal approvals remain stalled. Without treatment, millions face severe illness or premature death. This loss of treatment also threatens to undo years of progress against HIV and could potentially foster drug-resistant strains – an outcome with global repercussions, including in the U.S.