Yes, USAID could use reform, but this is demolition. Trump braids together cruelty, ignorance and shortsightedness, and calls it policy, as the world's richest men go after the worlds poorest children. My column: www.nytimes.com/2025/02/05/o... - ThreadSky

nickkristof.bsky.social • 21 days ago

Yes, USAID could use reform, but this is demolition. Trump braids together cruelty, ignorance and shortsightedness, and calls it policy, as the world's richest men go after the worlds poorest children. My column: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/05/opinion/usaid-spending-trump-musk.html?unlocked_article_code=1.u04.uI5F.-g-rZAqOMz51&smid=url-share

Comments

jenbarbosa.bsky.social•21 days ago

USAID funded the creation of COVID, Nick.

nancydontplay.bsky.social•21 days ago

Because Elon Musk has a personal beef with USAID.

sonofliberty007.bsky.social•21 days ago

Nonsense, you’re unlearned, it’s a slush fund as you’ll soon discover

bobhowells.bsky.social•21 days ago

Beautiful, timely, and as many have pointed out, a perfect headline.

seoigh1.bsky.social•21 days ago

It’s immoral!

rogerburks.bsky.social•21 days ago

Thank you for writing and sharing this, @nickkristof.bsky.social. As someone who's worked in humanitarian aid for over 20 years (and started as a Peace Corps Volunteer), I think U.S. foreign aid is one of best ways to demonstrate the generosity, goodwill and leadership of the U.S. and its people.

kianrazi.bsky.social•21 days ago

Reform should build, not destroy. Trump’s “policy” is a mix of cruelty and ignorance, while the world’s richest prey on its most vulnerable. The real tragedy is how those in power reshape the system for their gain, leaving the rest to scramble for survival.

ianxz.bsky.social•21 days ago

Whether any of that is true or not, is actually a distraction, no matter how important that subject.

The larger point is, that discussion happens in a legal process.
That process is being subverted.

The greater point is, it is illegal. The greater damage is to the Constitution.

plantz3610.bsky.social•21 days ago

2 billion dollars of US crops is purchased by USAID each year. Sorry farmers!

penfieldja.bsky.social•21 days ago

... lol ... are these red states

plantz3610.bsky.social•21 days ago

Somebody needs to wake up Chuck grassley so he can get on it 😉

oldabe.bsky.social•21 days ago

Aaaaaand the fact that they were investigating Starlink shenanigans in Ukraine didn’t help

brucestiftel.bsky.social•20 days ago

"To billionaires in the White House, it may seem like a game. But to anyone with a heart, it’s about children’s lives and our own security, and what’s unfolding is sickening."

brucestiftel.bsky.social•20 days ago

"Remember the American panic over the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014? (Trump was particularly hysterical back then.) In the end, an Ebola pandemic was averted — in part because of U.S.A.I.D.’s work in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone."

lilrescuehen.bsky.social•21 days ago

This insanity is not reforming its kleptocracy

ramark.bsky.social•21 days ago

👍👍👍

buckyor.bsky.social•21 days ago

He really is the dumbest man in the world. And the most venal.

kalkanswimmer.bsky.social•21 days ago

They just took apart one of the CIA’s best covers.

marylynchishere.bsky.social•21 days ago

Best headline!

mnmeditor.bsky.social•21 days ago

This was great, thank you. Sickening indeed.

saneresponz.bsky.social•21 days ago

"...another Ebola outbreak has just been reported in Uganda, with 234 contacts identified so far. U.S.A.I.D. would normally help suppress it — but now Trump and Musk have put it out of commission."

realbenisons.bsky.social•21 days ago

"of uncertain legality"?

the straight news reporting in NYT is more straightforward than that in describing Trump's violations of separation of powers as brazenly illegal

tacojolly.bsky.social•21 days ago

It’s going to cause a slow genocide and capitulating soft power and influence to China. It will also allow extreme ideologies to gain more traction in the populations we’re abandoning, increasing the likelihood of destabilization.

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