Destruction of world's largest humanitarian programme was done without formal authority or official oversight, former USAID employees claim

Destruction of world’s largest humanitarian programme was done without formal authority or official oversight, former USAID employees claim

Elon Musk, leader of the Trump administration’s now-disbanded Department of Government Efficiency, must sit for depositions along with senior State Department officials over their role in dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.

Pointing to findings that Musk had made the decision to break up USAID – one of the world’s largest humanitarian programs – despite lacking formal authority or official approval – District Judge Theodore Chuang wrote that there was “no alternative” than for Musk and other officials to provide testimony regarding their decision-making process.

The ruling represents a win for a group of anonymous former USAID employees who are suing Musk, DOGE and State Department officials over the closure.

    • freddydunningkruger@lemmy.world
      62·
      3 hours ago

      USAID was established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy via executive order under the authority of the Congress-passed Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. While authorized by this legislation, it was later formally codified as an independent agency by Congress through the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998.

      Sadly, a LOT of people stayed home and did not vote for Kamala Harris, or they voted 3rd party, and Trump was elected to run the Executive branch. The Trump administration decided the executive branch could choose which laws they executed. The opposition was immediate and lawsuits were filed, but the gears of justice grind slowly, so here we are in 2026 with depositions finally starting.

    • Leather@lemmy.world
      31·
      5 hours ago

      Most pedos are used to being the only adult in the room. They make up whatever rules they want.

  • lemmylump@lemmy.world
    66·
    11 hours ago

    If he ever faces justice for the hundreds of thousands needlessly dead because of him I hope it a fine based on net worth like the Nordic countries do, and then death.