The big expose by Elon Musk – led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has shocked the world. United States Agency for International Development (USAID), a saintly sounding organisation has turned out to be one of the biggest assets regarding use of organised crimes and populism to topple governments.
As Mike Benz said, “when it’s too dirty for the CIA you give it to USAID”. Along with CIA, financial agencies, journalists, propaganda channels and many other institutions all across the globe, USAID played a key role in creating local assets for the American government.
History
USAID was established in 1961 under President John F. Kennedy through the Foreign Assistance Act. At that time, Soviet Russia used to provide military protection to countries facing pressure from capitalist groups led by America, so it had to use soft coercion in the form of money and aid.
USAID was designed to consolidate various foreign aid programs into a single entity. At the height of the Cold War, it emerged as the promoter of economic development and political stability in nations which were getting freed from colonial clutches.
Technical assistance, agricultural modernisation (remember Green revolution?), infrastructure development and medical facilities at places like Latin America, Africa, and Asia were its core agenda. USAID played a key role in the Green Revolution by introducing high-yield crops and modern farming techniques, which led to exponential increase in food production and storage techniques.
USAID’s budget and its allocations have always fluctuated on geopolitical priorities. In the 1960s, it received between $2 billion and $3 billion annually, focusing on large-scale development projects. The next decade witnessed a shift towards basic human needs, with funding averaging around $3.5 billion.
In the 1980s, the Reagan administration emphasised privatization and free-market reforms, with budgets ranging from $5 billion to $7 billion. 80s was mainly about expansion of capitalism at places where the USSR’s influence was in decline. Additionally, response to famine in Ethiopia and conflicts in Central America also became priority projects.
The 1990s marked a post-Cold War shift, and USAID got increasingly involved in “promotion of democracy and governance reforms” all across the world – especially in East Europe and Asia. It is the same decade in which India was forced to open up its economy.
Budget levels during this period kept fluctuating due to foreign aids facing scrutiny in Congress. However, major humanitarian efforts, including aid to post-genocide Rawanda and the Balkans, kept funding significant.
The post-9/11 era brought a resurgence in USAID funding, especially for Deep State’s efforts of rebuilding infrastructure in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Bush administration’s focus on counterterrorism and “global health” resulted in USAID’s budget peak at around $20.3 billion by 2008, with major initiatives like President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
Under Obama, USAID embraced sustainability and resilience-based aid, with budgets regularly crossing the $20 billion mark. Feed the Future and Power Africa among other programs were key to its strategy. Eight years of Obama administration witnessed USAID attending more significance – being embroiled indirectly in local political battles too as the deep state embraced invading citizens’ privacy as its own fundamental right.
Donald Trump was aware of it, so his administration attempted to clip USAID’s wings by drastic reduction in funding, proposing reductions of up to 30%, but the Congress resisted. In four years of his presidency, the agency’s budget remained between $25 billion and $27 billion. Trump made sure that even then the money is used for countering China’s increasing influence with the Belt and Road Initiative.
Onset of Biden’s presidency began another (possibly last) honeymoon phase for USAID. While Trump’s allocation for USAID averaged around $26 billion, Biden’s allocation tilted the balance in such a way that during eight years of Trump and Biden, USAID received around $42 billion per year. In fact, in Fiscal year 2023, the Biden administration spent almost $72 billion a year. The spending was more than the military spending of France, Ukraine and Germany in the same year.
On the face of it, USAID, focuses heavily on climate initiatives, digital infrastructure, global economic stabilisation, “promoting democracy” and equality among others.
However, they do not have a clean slate and are considered a soft arm of the US deep state.
Over the years, USAID has faced several controversies. In the 1980s, it was accused of funding anti-communist insurgents in Central America, particularly in Nicaragua, where it allegedly supported groups linked to the Contras. The agency was also criticized for its role in structural adjustment programs that imposed austerity measures on developing economies.
In 2014, it was revealed that USAID secretly created a social media platform called “ZunZuneo” in Cuba, aimed at encouraging dissent against the government, a move widely criticised as covert intervention. More recently, USAID’s funding for civil society groups in countries like Egypt and Russia led to accusations of meddling in domestic politics, prompting some governments to restrict or expel USAID operations.
One of the famous quotes in favour of USAID’s creation is attributed to John F. Kennedy, when he declared, “To those people in the huts and villages of half the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves – – not because the communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right?”
However, even his nephew Robert F Kennedy does not seem to be on board with the trajectory of the institution. A relative of famous Journalist Tucker Carlson used to ask him to pronounce USAID as US.A.I.D because the term AID created a false impression about the organisation about whom that relative was aware of.
Over the years many pivotal individuals have shaped its legacy in such a way that in 2025, USAID has nothing to do with AIDS. Here are few individuals who directly or indirectly shaped its role as an extension of deep state.
George Kennan
Notorious as “Father of Containment (doctrine)“, Kennan was a prominent figure in shaping U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War. The man is credited with developing the doctrine of “organized political warfare.” He advocated for the expansion of war strategy from military wars to diplomatic, informational, military, and economic. By default, the doctrine was designed to impact the political composition or decision-making within another state.
His memo laid the groundwork for the CIA’s covert actions, including the manipulation of elections in Italy to prevent a pro-Soviet government from taking power.
Frank Wisner
Wisner is known as one of the founding officers of the CIA, and was instrumental in creating the “Mighty Wurlitzer,”. It is the term used to describe the ability and power of the CIA to twist global media coverage in America’s favour. Wsiner orchestrated propaganda campaigns and covert operations to influence the view of foreign governments and public by using front organizations and media outlets to spread pro-U.S. messages.
Zbigniew Brzezinski
One of the key architects of U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War, Brzezinski was instrumental in supporting the Afghan mujahideen against the Soviet Union. His strategy of using proxy forces to destabilize Soviet-aligned governments laid the groundwork for future U.S. interventions in the Middle East and beyond.
John Bolton
26th United States national security advisor (NSA) during Trump I, Bolton is a highly controversial figure in US foreign policy. Bolton served as the Assistant administrator for program and policy coordination, USAID during the Regan era. Bolton’s tenure at USAID was marked by a focus on using economic and military pressure to achieve U.S. objectives abroad. But most importantly, he also shaped opinions in favour of the organisation at the time when constant calls were being made for the destruction of USAID. He is well known for being a regime change enthusiast and critic of Obama’s deal with Iran.
Joe Biden
As Vice President and later President, Biden was instrumental in the use and promotion of USAID as third eye of US Deep State. He cleared the route of using USAID’s money for the depopulation of Africa by using pro-abortion groups like Marie Stopes International (MSI).
Biden is said to have told Ukrainians that they needed to fire Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin, the man investigating Burisma, a company with ties to Hunter Biden, in exchange for US’ finances in the form of aid and loans.
Hillary Clinton
Under Clinton as Secretary of State, U.S. foreign policy, particularly in the Middle East and Eastern Europe actively utilised the soft power harnessed through USAID money to impact regime changes. She supported the use of NGOs and media outlets to promote U.S. interests abroad. Her own Clinton foundation is accused of being in cahoots with USAID’s nefarious designs.
Victoria Nuland
A seasoned American diplomat, Nuland served as Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs from 2013 to 2017. Her post enabled her to be responsible for diplomatic relations with 50 countries in Europe and Eurasia, as well as with NATO, the European Union, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
While her position was within the State Department, her efforts often involved the involvement of USAID’s so–called initiatives aimed towards promoting democracy and economic stability in the region. She is said to have played a key role in relatively new successes – in the form of Bangladesh and Ukraine – of USAID.
After retiring from her diplomatic career, Nuland joined the law firm Covington & Burling as a senior advisor in December 2024.
Chris Murphy
Murphy has been a vocal advocate for USAID in his capacity as a Senator from Connecticut and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He does not miss an opportunity in highlighting USAID’s role in countering global threats to American interest and promotion of democracy, which in a way is ironic.
In recent statements, Murphy highlighted that USAID combats terrorist groups worldwide by addressing underlying causes of terrorism and counters China’s global influence by ensuring they don’t monopolize critical infrastructure projects. He has also expressed concerns over Musk’s attempts to dismantle USAID, and sees such actions as detrimental to U.S. interests and a potential constitutional crisis.
He also views these actions as an attempt to hijack foreign policy for personal profits of businessmen, which is an irony in itself.
Liz Cheney
Before her tenure as a U.S. Representative for Wyoming, Cheney worked as a USAID officer in U.S. embassies in Budapest and Warsaw with USAID, with focus on US’ activities in Eurasia, including Russia and Ukraine. Her work involved supporting programs designed as a veil of fostering democracy and economic development in post-Soviet states.
Recently, Cheney defended her past association with USAID and went on to vociferously take a stand for the US’ role in the Cold war. She also took a personal jibe on Elon Musk for him not being a by-birth citizen of the USA.
Mark Milley
Milley is the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who oversaw military operations and coordination with various government agencies. He is a vocal critic of Trump and a supporter of wokeism in the American military.
While there isn’t direct public evidence detailing his involvement in synchronizing psychological operations with USAID, it’s standard for military leadership to collaborate with civilian agencies like USAID to ensure cohesive strategies in conflict zones. Such collaborations align military objectives with developmental and humanitarian efforts to achieve a comprehensive success in which both militaristic and propagandist goals are achieved.
Milley being a regular defender of something like wokeness, which goes against ethos of the Military does leave a clue to be investigated.
Nina Jankowicz
Nina is an expert in disinformation and online harassment. She expertises in promoting Democratic Party’s line of Russian disinformation and wrote a book titled How to Lose the Information War on it. Jankowicz briefly led the Disinformation Governance Board under the Department of Homeland Security in 2022.
With USAID, she implemented various programs of the US government and seems to be an active benefactor of the organisation till the day when Musk’s DOGE exposed the wrongdoings. Even after Musk exposed, she toed the line that USAID is mainly involved in humanitarian efforts like curbing HIV/AIDS and global hunger.
“There is a reason that Vladimir Putin banned USAID programming from Russia in 2012; its programs supported groups engaged in critical truth-telling missions. Like Putin, Musk and Trump benefit from an all powerful state that trafficks in lies,” added Nina in her statement.
Key Organisations To Understand Deep State and USAID collaboration
National Endowment for Democracy (NED)
The NED has been a key player in promoting American interests by the means of funding opposition groups and media outlets in foreign countries. It has been involved in numerous regime change operations, the most famous of which is the Color Revolution in Ukraine.
Stephen Kinzer, former journalist with The New York Times revealed that NED receives active funding from USAID and other U.S. government agencies, and its operations are often coordinated with the CIA. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has in fact a dedicated page to exposing NED’s misdeeds, much of such information is already in the public domain.
Also Read: Yunus, Gandhi: Trump joins missing link between Biden-Soros for regime change in India
Internews
It is a media organization actively funded by USAID. Internews has been involved in promoting U.S. interests through media manipulation and censorship. A Wikileaks report revealed that the organisation received nearly half a billion dollars to pass it to NGOs, media outlets and censorship advocates in the country of its target. It has trained journalists, funded media outlets, and worked to suppress dissenting voices in countries around the world. The organisation has been involved in projects in over 100 countries, including India. Its voices and opinions can be reached to more than one billion people all across the world.
Also Read: Who were the major benefactor of USAID?
Atlantic Council
Atlantic Council is a famous think tank acting as a propagator of American interest in academia all across the world. It is just not a coincidence that the organisation was founded in 1961, same year as USAID.
It has received funding from USAID, the Pentagon, and other government agencies, and has been involved in projects ranging from media manipulation – involving soft censorship and canceled culture – to regime change operations.
Creative Associates International (CAI)
A contractor for USAID, CAI has been involved in numerous covert operations, including the creation of a Twitter like website in Cuba designed to foment dissent and destabilize the Cuban government.
Also Read: USAID Funding Scandal: Exposing the conspiracy to destabilize India?
CAI has received millions of dollars in funding from USAID and has been involved in projects in over 50 countries.
OCCRP (Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project)
Funded by USAID and the U.S. State Department, OCCRP has been involved in producing investigative journalism that targets political opponents of U.S. interests. It has been instrumental in creating narrative for taking down the image of democratically elected leaders and famous personalities through sensationalist reporting having little to nil evidential value in court of law.
It also bragged about the indictment and arrests (not resulting in sentencing) because it published dirt cheap articles. The organisation also went after the local politicians, including playing a role in the impeachment of President Donald Trump.
Graphika
A social media analytics company funded by the Pentagon, Graphika has been involved in monitoring and manipulating online discourse to promote U.S. interests. It has worked with the Atlantic Council and other aforementioned organizations to censor dissenting voices and promote pro-U.S. narratives.
USAID, CIA and many other organisations joined hands to change governments all across the world. There is virtually no country – ranging from mighty USSR to a tiny one like Cuba – where these agencies along with the financial clouts of IMF, World Bank and related multilateral forums did not attempt to bring down the government and instill a puppet of its own.