Trump’s agenda is drawing the ire of past politicians. Perhaps they’re jealous of his success thus far in his second term.
And two former presidents have lobbed an all out assault on Donald Trump.
Former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, alongside U2 frontman Bono, rallied to support United States Agency for International Development (USAID) employees as the agency closed its doors on Tuesday, July 1.
The trio participated in a private videoconference to console staffers, while sharply criticizing the Trump administration’s decision to shutter the agency, which faced allegations of corruption and mismanagement. Clips of the emotional event, later reviewed by The Associated Press, revealed heartfelt messages and pointed rebukes.
“Gutting USAID is a travesty, and it’s a tragedy,” Obama declared in a video shown to departing employees. “Because it’s some of the most important work happening anywhere in the world.” He labeled the closure “a colossal mistake,” expressing hope that “sooner or later, leaders on both sides of the aisle will realize how much you are needed.”
USAID, established under the Kennedy administration to deliver economic aid to foreign nations, was officially absorbed by the State Department following an investigation by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
In February, DOGE, led by Elon Musk, branded the agency “a viper’s nest of radical-left marxists who hate America,” citing mismanagement and wasteful spending. The closure marked the culmination of President Donald Trump’s push to eliminate fraud and inefficiency in federal operations.
Bush, typically reserved in his critiques of Trump, mourned the loss of USAID’s legacy, particularly its AIDS and HIV program, credited with saving 25 million lives. “You’ve showed the great strength of America through your work — and that is your good heart,” Bush said to staffers, per The Associated Press.
“Is it in our national interests that 25 million people who would have died now live? I think it is, and so do you.”
Bono, a longtime advocate for global aid, delivered a poem reflecting on USAID’s closure, warning of dire consequences. “They called you crooks. When you were the best of us,” he said.
The closure drew reactions from other prominent figures, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. On X, she praised USAID’s foreign service officers, stating, “In all my years of service, I found that foreign service officers and development professionals were among the most dedicated public servants I encountered. Their work saves lives and makes the world safer. Today, and every day, I stand with them.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, acting as USAID’s interim administrator, defended the agency’s absorption into the State Department. In a statement, he argued that USAID had failed to align with American interests, fostering “a globe-spanning NGO industrial complex at taxpayer expense.”
Rubio added, “This era of government-sanctioned inefficiency has officially come to an end. Under the Trump Administration, we will finally have a foreign funding mission in America that prioritizes our national interests.”
The decision followed DOGE’s efforts to streamline federal operations. In a March address to Congress, Trump highlighted $22 billion in identified government “waste,” citing examples like “forty-five million for diversity, equity and inclusion scholarships in Burma” and “$8 million for making mice transgender.” These findings fueled the administration’s case against USAID.
While Obama and Bush have largely avoided public clashes with Trump during his second term, both attended his inauguration and have sparingly commented on his policies.
Obama has criticized Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” a key legislative priority, while Bush has maintained a low profile. Bono, however, has been vocal, previously calling Trump “potentially the worst idea that ever happened to America” in 2016 and warning that USAID cuts could cost hundreds of thousands of lives.
As USAID’s programs transition to the State Department, questions linger about the future of U.S. foreign aid.
Supporters argue the agency’s work was vital for global stability and humanitarian efforts, while critics, including Rubio, insist the overhaul will enhance accountability and align aid with national priorities.
Stay tuned to the Conservative Column.
