Rep. Ilhan Omar calls out President Trump and Elon Musk for handling of USAID while also accusing the president of running a dictatorship. (Pool)
Fifty senior USAID staff have been placed on administrative leave, sources told Fox News over the weekend. Staff have also been barred from communicating with anyone outside the agency without approval.
Omar said she was "exceptionally upset" about USAID, explaining she lived in a refugee camp as a child for four years, and in that camp, USAID provided programs that kept her and her family fed and safe.
GOP HARLINERS RALLY AROUND TRUMP, MUSK SCALING BACK USAID
The U.S. Agency of International Development (USAID) flag flies in front of the agency's headquarters building on September 15, 2014, in Washington, DC.
"At nearly $37 trillion in national debt – and a $1.8 trillion annual deficit – we can't afford to continue giving money to countries that hate America and everything we stand for," he said.
Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., told Fox News Digital that shutting down USAID "will help reduce our national debt and relieve the burden on taxpayers, while compelling aid-dependent countries to achieve true self-reliance, snapping them out of the dependency cycle USAID has perpetuated under the false banner of ‘development.’"
The U.S. State Department posted on X that USAID has "long strayed" from its mission of responsibly advancing American interests abroad, adding that it is now clear that significant portions of USAID funding are not aligned with national interests.
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"As an interim step toward gaining control and better understanding over the agency’s activity, President Donald J. Trump appointed Secretary Marco Rubio as Acting Administrator," a statement from the State Department read on X. "Secretary Rubio has also now notified Congress that a review of USAID’s foreign assistance activities is underway with an eye towards potential reorganization. As we evaluate USAID and ensure it is in alignment with an America First agenda and the efforts of the State Department, we will continue to protect the American people’s interests and ensure their tax dollars are not wasted."
Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.
Story tips and ideas can be sent to Greg.Wehner@Fox.com and on Twitter @GregWehner.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/omar-slams-trump-musk-changes-usaid-accuses-president-running-dictatorship