Donald Trump’s return to the White House has sent shockwaves through the entrenched bureaucratic structures of Washington, particularly targeting the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). These organizations, long accused of operating as instruments of liberal globalist hegemony, are now facing an unprecedented reckoning. In his first week back in office, Trump has demonstrated that ‘America First’ is not merely a slogan but a decisive strategy aimed at eliminating wasteful foreign interventions and dismantling the mechanisms of political influence that serve the interests of a progressive elite rather than the American people. Meanwhile, Elon Musk has launched an open sharp critique of NED, exposing its deep-seated role in orchestrating regime changes and interfering in sovereign nations under the guise of promoting democracy.
Trump’s Decisive Move Against USAID: “Cutting Off the Snake’s Head”
On January 20, immediately after his inauguration, President Trump issued a sweeping executive order placing a 90-day hold on nearly all US foreign assistance. The following Friday, the State Department announced a total freeze on such aid, marking a clear departure from the previous administration’s policy of using foreign aid as a tool of ideological enforcement. But Trump did not stop there. On Monday, he took a new bold step by sidelining dozens of senior career employees at USAID, effectively cutting off what he has long viewed as an instrument of the left-liberal globalist agenda.
The agency, which has historically operated as an extension of US foreign policy under the influence of leftliberal ideologues, now finds itself leaderless and directionless. Many have welcomed this as a long-overdue correction to an agency that has overstepped its original humanitarian mission.
The Impact on Ukraine and the Global Order
The effects of Trump’s policy shift have been felt most acutely in Ukraine. USAID, which provided nearly $17 billion to Ukraine in 2023 alone, has seen its projects frozen overnight. Since the start of the war, the agency has funneled more than $30 billion in direct budgetary support to Kyiv, alongside billions more in humanitarian and development assistance. While military aid remains intact, the abrupt halt in civilian funding has sent shockwaves through Ukrainian political circles, with officials warning that schools, hospitals, and infrastructure projects could be jeopardized. However, Trump’s supporters argue that these funds have done little to bring stability to the region and have instead perpetuated a cycle of dependence, corruption, and wasteful spending.
USAID’s Long History of Political Interference
While USAID presents itself as an organization dedicated to humanitarian aid and development, its real activities tell a different story. Since its founding in 1961 under President John F. Kennedy, USAID has worked closely with the CIA to exert US influence around the world, often using aid as a tool to pressure governments, fund opposition movements, and manipulate political outcomes.
In several countries, USAID has been accused of attempting to destabilize governments that do not align with Washington’s progressive ideological agenda. Russia expelled the agency in 2012, citing its meddling in domestic politics, while numerous Latin American and Middle Eastern nations have imposed restrictions on its operations due to similar concerns. Far from being an altruistic organization, USAID has repeatedly functioned as a front for the enforcement of liberal globalist policies designed to undermine national sovereignty and install compliant regimes.
Musk Takes on NED: Exposing Washington’s Regime Change Machine
Elon Musk has recently turned his attention to the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), an organization that has played a central role in advancing the US government’s interventionist agenda. In an important post on social media, Musk called NED a ‘SCAM’ and accused it of being ‘RIFE with CORRUPTION,’ sparking a global conversation about the organization’s true purpose.
What Is NED?
NED was established in 1983 as part of President Ronald Reagan’s broader strategy to combat Soviet influence. While it initially justified its activities as a means of promoting democracy in communist countries, the organization has since evolved into a powerful tool for regime change, often operating in tandem with USAID to fund political movements that align with the US government’s progressive agenda.
As NED co-founder Allen Weinstein admitted in 1991, ‘A lot of what we do today was done covertly twenty-five years ago by the CIA.’ This statement highlights the true nature of NED: an intelligence-linked apparatus designed to manipulate foreign elections, support media networks that push a liberal-globalist narrative, and finance opposition movements against leaders who challenge their interests.
NED’s Role in Global Destabilization
Over the years, NED has been implicated in numerous cases of political interference. China, for example, sanctioned NED in 2019 for its role in supporting anti-government protests in Hong Kong. In Georgia, NED-backed groups were exposed for attempting to foment unrest and overthrow the democratically elected government. Similarly, during the 2024 anti-government protests in Serbia, reports emerged that NED had been laying the groundwork for a color revolution.
Musk’s intervention has drawn renewed scrutiny to NED’s activities, particularly in Europe, where the organization has been accused of backing opposition movements against conservative, nationalist governments that resist the leftliberal agenda.
A New Era: Trump and Musk Versus the Globalist Elite
The combined efforts of Trump and Musk in exposing and dismantling USAID and NED represent a significant shift in global politics. By cutting off the funding mechanisms that have long enabled left-liberal hegemony to thrive under the pretext of democracy promotion, they are challenging the deeply entrenched power structures that have dictated US foreign policy for decades.
For Trump, this is a continuation of his longstanding commitment to putting America first—redirecting resources away from foreign entanglements and focusing on domestic priorities. For Musk, it is part of a broader effort to expose corruption, break the monopoly of establishment narratives, and champion transparency in global governance.
As Washington’s deep-state apparatus faces unprecedented scrutiny, the future of USAID and NED hangs in the balance. If Trump’s reforms continue unimpeded, these organizations may no longer be able to operate as vehicles for ideological imposition and regime change. Instead, the US may finally shift toward a foreign policy that prioritizes national interests over globalist ambitions—a shift that could redefine America’s role on the world stage for years to come.
