United States Agency for International Development; principal government agency providing foreign aid and expanding U.S. soft power
Background
The United States Agency for International Development is the principal U.S. government agency responsible for expanding U.S. soft power through administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance. Established by executive order in 1961 under President Kennedy, USAID operates in over 100 countries and manages programs in global health, humanitarian relief, food security, democratic governance, and economic development. In early 2025, the Trump administration, led by Elon Musk’s DOGE advisory body, moved to dismantle USAID, relocating some functions to the State Department and terminating thousands of foreign aid contracts. The Lancet journal projected the termination of USAID’s global health programs would result in approximately 14 million preventable deaths by 2030.