(NewsNation) — By now, the average American may be more familiar with two acronyms that are grabbing headlines in Washington and beyond: DOGE and USAID.
The Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, is headed by “special government employee” Elon Musk, the world’s richest man. With President Trump’s blessing, DOGE is scrutinizing spending at federal agencies, including the United States Agency for International Development.
What is DOGE, and what’s it doing?
USAID operations have effectively been put on hold, less than three weeks after Trump began his second term in office.
Proponents of the agency say it pays dividends by promoting democracy when it assists struggling foreign nations. But people in Trump’s corner say USAID has funded several questionable programs, such as efforts to promote “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” across the globe.
NewsNation’s Mills Hayes reports that not all of the information cited by Trump representatives bear out, although USAID did offer Serbia a $1.5 million grant to advance DEI in the workplace.
Other examples offered by the White House — such as $47,000 for a transgender opera in Colombia and $32,000 for a transgender comic book in Peru — were efforts funded by a different federal entity, the U.S. State Department.
Ex-administrators of USAID defend agency targeted by Trump
On the flipside, USAID has disbursed millions to fight AIDS in Africa; conserve the Amazon Rainforest in South America and support a United Nations food program. USAID has also distributed U.S. agricultural products, and $34 million in rice, soybean and wheat purchases are on hold, the Washington Post reports.
A federal judge has temporarily blocked the administration’s attempts to place 2,200 USAID employees on paid leave.
Meantime, Musk’s DOGE has also set its sights on the U.S. Department of Education. Concerned about the ramifications, Democratic members of Congress sought to enter the agency’s Washington headquarters last week but were locked out.
DOGE actions ‘long overdue, much welcomed’: House speaker
“The Democrats have lost their minds,” Trump said in response. “They tried to break into the Department of Education just because we want to go and check the books.”
Musk also is facing scrutiny over the young DOGE team he’s hired as reports surface about their prior businesses and online activity.
A 19-year-old DOGE member started a company that hired convicted hackers, and WIRED reports that company has at least two Russian-registered domains.
Another DOGE staffer reposted comments from white nationalists and misogynists on social media, and a third staffer resigned after past racist posts were made public.
