McClellan Statement on Trump-Vance Administration’s Hostile Takeover and Dismantlement of USAID

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) issued the following statement after Elon Musk and the Trump-Vance Administration shuttered the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID): 

“Elon Musk and the Trump-Vance Administration’s hostile takeover and attempt to shut down USAID imperils our national security and severely undermines America’s global standing. These actions will destroy the U.S.’s ability to exert positive influence around the world, diminish our diplomatic capacity, and leave the door open for our adversaries, particularly China, Russia, and Iran, to advance their own interests. Though they claim to put America first, Musk and the Trump-Vance Administration jeopardize our global interests. 

“From day one of his Administration, President Trump has thrown our nation into chaos with his flurry of short-sighted executive actions and blatant disregard for the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans. This assault on USAID — laying off staff, halting a vast number of lifesaving international programs overnight, and now attempting to shutter the agency altogether — amounts to nothing more than another reckless power grab and an assault on the separation of powers that jeopardizes our national security.

“USAID plays a critical role in supporting our global interests and assisting vulnerable populations around the world through humanitarian support. It is the largest provider of international development assistance in the world, providing a range of services including food assistance, vaccines and disease prevention, and the construction of critical infrastructure. Any disruption to USAID’s mission effectively withdraws the United States from the world, jeopardizes our position as a global leader, and undermines our ability to lead through diplomacy. Most importantly it puts the lives of millions of people at risk as our adversaries seek to fill the void left by our withdrawal from providing assistance to vulnerable communities across the world.

“As an independent executive agency created by Congress whose authorities are clearly outlined by law, USAID should not be subject to the whims of this Administration. Only Congress can move to abolish or radically alter it. I oppose this blatantly unconstitutional  attempt by President Trump to forcefully abolish USAID. I stand with the millions of people who benefit from the impactful work USAID performs and the thousands of USAID federal employees whose futures hang in the balance. 

“This is clearly the first of many illegal attacks on federal agencies in a blatant attempt to expand Presidential power to king-like status at the expense of the American people. We will not let such actions go unchecked.”