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Welcome to The Logoff: At the moment I’m specializing in the Trump administration’s effort to remove the US Company for Worldwide Improvement, the following step in its marketing campaign in opposition to overseas help and a key check of whether or not anybody will examine this administration’s energy grabs.
What’s the newest? Secretary of State Marco Rubio this afternoon mentioned he’d notified Congress that the administration intends to completely shut USAID, efficient July 1. The company is to be folded into the State Division, nearly all positions are set to be eradicated, and layoffs are slated to start nearly instantly, CNN experiences.
Again up. Didn’t they do that already? Instantly upon taking workplace, the administration — led by Elon Musk’s “Division of Authorities Effectivity” — started gutting USAID and froze spending on overseas help. At the moment makes it clear the administration goals to complete the job.
What does right now’s information imply for overseas help? Rubio mentioned a number of the company’s features can be taken over by the State Division and the remainder can be eradicated. He didn’t specify what would stay, however the administration has been up-front about its plan to sharply curtail overseas help. That’s a call with lethal penalties for weak folks around the globe.
Does Trump have the ability to do that? Congress handed a legislation codifying USAID’s existence, and — beneath the standard understanding of the US system of checks and balances — solely Congress has the ability to shutter it. Earlier this month, a federal decide ordered a short lived freeze of a number of the dismantling effort, ruling that DOGE possible violated the Structure.
What’s the large image? No matter the place the authorized challenges find yourself, the administration has already executed a lot to intestine USAID that there’s little to no probability of it being reassembled. It’s a part of Trump’s sample of asserting new powers, making irrevocable adjustments with these powers, and daring anybody to cease him.
And with that, it’s time to log out. I at all times really feel bizarre delivering darkish information after which imploring you to “log out,” however I achieve this as a result of I don’t suppose doomscrolling — getting passively sucked in by social media — helps anybody. It saps our power and urge for food to make constructive change. And constructive change is feasible! To that finish, I need to reshare this piece from my colleague Sigal Samuel on how we will help folks affected by cuts to overseas help. I’ve shared it earlier than, however right now felt like an excellent day for a reprise. Thanks for studying, and I’ll see you again right here on Monday.
