**US Congress Protests Plan to Merge USAID**
On February 3, Democratic lawmakers in the US Congress protested the plan to merge the US Agency for International Development (USAID) under the State Department. They warned that this decision threatens global aid programs.
**President Trump Appoints New Head of USAID**
US President Donald Trump appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio as acting administrator of USAID. This move came after Elon Musk, a close ally of Trump, claimed to have the president’s support in shutting down the agency.
**Lawmakers Protest Outside USAID Headquarters**
Members of Congress gathered outside the USAID headquarters in Washington, condemning what they called an “illegal maneuver” by Elon Musk. They also protested reports that USAID employees had been ordered not to report to work and were locked out of government email and accounts.
**USAID Employees Affected**
The lawmakers accused Musk of interfering in US foreign aid programs while his companies continue to receive Pentagon contracts. This has led to concerns about the impact on global health, clean water access, energy security, and civil society programs funded by USAID.
**Ukraine’s Humanitarian Aid at Risk**
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, USAID has provided over $2.6 billion in humanitarian aid, $5 billion in development assistance, and over $30 billion in direct budget support to Kyiv. The administration’s move has effectively frozen all foreign assistance for at least 90 days.
**White House Criticizes USAID**
The White House announced that the waste, fraud, and abuse ends now under President Trump. However, this criticism did not mention any projects related to Ukraine. Ukrainian lawmakers have begun consultations with European partners to temporarily replace US funding.
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