U.S. lawmakers have expressed significant concern over recent developments at the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Senator Mazie K. Hirono, alongside Senator Tim Kaine and 35 other Senate colleagues, has addressed a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, questioning the Trump Administration’s actions regarding USAID.
The senators’ letter outlines worries about what they describe as chaos within the Department of State and attempts by the administration to dismantle USAID without legal authority or Congressional input. This follows reports that personnel were denied access to USAID headquarters and an announcement by Elon Musk stating President Donald Trump’s decision to close USAID and incorporate it into the State Department.
“We are deeply concerned by reports of not only growing chaos and dysfunction at the Department of State, but the Administration’s brazen and illegal attempts to destroy the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID),” stated the senators in their letter.
They also highlighted issues such as mass furloughs of senior civil servants which they claim lack legal backing, alongside blanket stop-work orders impacting national security operations. The senators argue these actions violate Congressional oversight responsibilities and contravene appropriations laws.
“The Administration’s failure to consult with Congress prior to taking these steps violates the law,” continued the letter from Hirono, Kaine, and others.
The legislators stressed that foreign assistance plays a vital role in supporting U.S. strategic interests globally, helping counter influences from countries like China, Russia, and Iran.
“Foreign assistance is critical to supporting U.S. strategic interests around the world,” they emphasized in their correspondence with Secretary Rubio.
In addition to Hirono and Kaine, notable signatories include Senators Cory Booker, Dick Durbin, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders among others who collectively seek clarification on several points related to USAID’s future operations under current administrative decisions.
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