Trump administration moves to shut down USAID on Musk’s ‘advice’

Tensions over classified information

Two top USAID security officials, John Voorhees and deputy Brian McGill, were placed on leave after refusing to grant Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) access to classified materials, according to a current and a former US official, reported AP. Despite lacking high-level security clearance, DOGE teams eventually gained access to USAID’s intelligence reports, as per AP.

A similar operation took place at the Treasury Department, where DOGE reportedly accessed sensitive data, including Social Security and Medicare payment systems. The Washington Post reported that a senior Treasury official resigned over the incident.

Musk later posted on X, “USAID is a criminal organization. Time for it to die.”

USAID’s website disappeared Saturday without explanation. The Trump administration has already frozen foreign assistance, shutting down much of USAID’s global operations and forcing mass layoffs.

Trump defended the move, saying, “It’s been run by a bunch of radical lunatics. And we’re getting them out.”

Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren accused Trump of allowing Musk to access personal information and cut off government funding, saying, “We must do everything in our power to push back and protect people from harm.”

(With inputs from AP)

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