Bush, Obama, and Bono Slam Trump’s 'Colossal Mistake' in Shuttering USAID

In a surprising alliance, former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, alongside U2’s Bono, rallied to support United States Agency for International Development (USAID) employees as the agency faced its final days. The trio addressed departing staff via a videoconference on Monday, mourning the Trump administration’s decision to shutter USAID, a move criticized as a “colossal mistake” by Obama. The agency, long tasked with delivering economic aid to foreign nations, was absorbed into the State Department on Tuesday, following allegations of corruption and mismanagement.

USAID, established under the Kennedy administration, has been a cornerstone of U.S. foreign aid, notably credited with saving 25 million lives through Bush’s AIDS and HIV programs. “You’ve shown America’s heart through your work,” Bush told staffers, lamenting the loss of a legacy that prioritized global humanitarian efforts. Obama echoed this, calling USAID’s closure a “travesty” that future leaders would come to regret. Bono, ever the poet, recited verses lamenting the agency’s end, claiming it could lead to millions of deaths worldwide.

The decision to dismantle USAID stems from the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which targeted the agency for alleged waste and fraud. DOGE’s former leader, Elon Musk, didn’t mince words, branding USAID a “viper’s nest” of mismanagement. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, acting as USAID’s final administrator, announced the State Department would now oversee foreign assistance programs, promising greater accountability and alignment with U.S. interests. “USAID has little to show since the Cold War,” Rubio stated, citing decades of inefficiency and anti-American sentiment fueled by its programs.

Critics like Hillary Clinton praised USAID’s staff, calling them “dedicated public servants” whose work saved lives. Yet, the agency’s closure aligns with Trump’s broader push to eliminate federal waste, with DOGE uncovering $22 billion in questionable spending, including eyebrow-raising programs like $8 million for transgender mice and $60 million for Afro-Colombian empowerment. While supporters of USAID argue it embodied America’s global compassion, its detractors see its end as a necessary correction to decades of unchecked spending.