Trump Dismantles USAID, a Program Ivanka Once Championed/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump is dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), an agency his daughter Ivanka once championed for global women’s empowerment. While Trump once promoted USAID programs as national security priorities, his new administration has frozen foreign aid, placing women’s economic initiatives in jeopardy. The move aligns with Trump’s federal spending cuts, led by Elon Musk’s government efficiency team, but has left international aid recipients and former USAID supporters reeling.
Trump Dismantles USAID, a Program Ivanka Once Championed – Quick Look
- Trump Reverses Course: Once a champion of USAID-backed women’s initiatives, Trump is now gutting the agency.
- Aid Freeze: Trump halted nearly all foreign assistance, cutting funding for economic empowerment programs.
- Ivanka’s Past Support: Ivanka Trump personally helped launch USAID’s Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) initiative in 2019.
- International Fallout: The cuts have devastated women-led businesses and programs abroad.
- Legal Challenges: A federal judge temporarily blocked plans to put USAID workers on leave.
- Musk’s Role: Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is leading massive government restructuring, accelerating USAID’s shutdown.
Trump Dismantles USAID, a Program Ivanka Once Championed – Deep Look
Trump’s USAID Reversal Stuns Supporters and Global Beneficiaries
President Donald Trump’s second term is reshaping U.S. foreign aid, and one of its biggest casualties is USAID, the agency responsible for global development, disaster relief, and economic assistance.
The shift is especially stunning given Trump’s past promotion of USAID’s women’s empowerment initiatives—which he personally unveiled in 2019, with Ivanka Trump as its key figurehead.
Now, six years later, Trump has cut off nearly all USAID funding, calling it wasteful spending run by “radical lunatics”.
The decision has upended programs around the world, including the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) initiative, which once had bipartisan support and private-sector backing.
“Folks she gave hope to—it’s been ripped away,” said a current USAID employee.
Ivanka’s Past Efforts: A Lost Legacy?
During Trump’s first term, Ivanka worked directly with USAID to create W-GDP, a program focused on:
- Women’s education and entrepreneurship
- Expanding access to financial resources
- Reducing legal barriers to economic opportunity
The initiative was so high-profile that Trump highlighted it in his 2019 State of the Union address, calling women’s empowerment a national security priority.
“When women are economically empowered, society prospers and peace prevails,” Ivanka Trump said in 2019.
USAID’s Shutdown: Global Impact
USAID’s funding freeze has left millions of beneficiaries uncertain about their future:
- Women-led businesses are losing support.
- Rural development projects are stalled.
- Entrepreneurship grants are being revoked.
Nino Zambakhidze, a Georgian farmer who appeared at Trump’s 2019 signing ceremony, said the aid helped her build a successful farm after banks denied her loans because she was a woman.
“When I saw Trump was elected again, I thought it meant more support for women,” Zambakhidze said.
“Now I don’t understand what the hell is going on.”
Elon Musk’s Role: USAID as a Casualty of Trump’s Spending Cuts
The dismantling of USAID is part of Trump’s broader effort to slash government spending, spearheaded by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Musk’s team has aggressively pushed to:
- Cut federal agencies and foreign aid programs.
- Reassign or force resignations of government workers.
- Redirect spending toward domestic priorities and border security.
However, not all of Trump’s past allies support these cuts.
“This is making the U.S. weaker and putting Americans in danger,” said a former Trump administration official who worked with Ivanka on USAID programs.
Legal Battle: A Federal Judge Steps In
In response to the massive staff cuts at USAID, a federal judge temporarily blocked the administration from putting workers on leave.
The ruling delayed Trump’s plan to force USAID staff to return to the U.S., at least until a final decision is made.
Meanwhile, beneficiaries of USAID’s programs remain in limbo, with no clear answer on whether funding will be restored or permanently eliminated.
The Big Picture: A Sharp Pivot on Foreign Aid
Trump’s first administration saw USAID play a key role in national security and diplomacy. Now, his second term is prioritizing domestic issues, slashing foreign assistance in ways that even some of his former allies find surprising.
For those who once saw Ivanka and Trump as global champions for women, the reality of USAID’s demise has been a stunning reversal.
“I hope they realize the impact and restart these programs,” Zambakhidze said.
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