Bush, Obama and a Tearful Bono Fault Trump's Gutting of USAID on Agency's Last Day (Connecting the Dots: Bono, The ONE Campaign, The World Food Program, The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Michael Bloomberg, The Bloomberg Family Foundation, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation & Soros Funding, All Networking)
Newsmax.com
Monday,
30 June 2025 04:01 PM EDT
WASHINGTON
(AP) — Former Presidents Barack Obama and George
W. Bush
delivered rare open criticism of the Trump administration — and singer Bono held back tears as he recited a
poem — in an emotional video farewell on Monday with staffers of the U.S.
Agency for International Development.
Monday
was the last day as an independent agency for the six-decade-old humanitarian
and development organization, created by President John F. Kennedy as a
peaceful way of promoting U.S. national security by boosting goodwill and
prosperity abroad.
Secretary
of State Marco Rubio has ordered USAID absorbed into the State Department on
Tuesday.
The
former presidents and Bono spoke during a videoconference with thousands in the
USAID community, which was billed as a closed-press event to allow political
leaders and others privacy for sometimes angry and often teary remarks. Parts
of the video were shared with The Associated Press.
They
expressed their appreciation for the thousands of USAID staffers who have lost
their jobs and life's work. Their agency was one of the first and most fiercely
targeted for government-cutting by President Donald Trump and his billionaire
ally Elon Musk, with staffers abruptly locked out of systems and offices and
terminated by mass emailing.
Trump
claimed the agency was run by “radical left lunatics” and rife with “tremendous
fraud.” Musk called it “a criminal organization.”
Obama,
speaking in a recorded statement, offered assurances to the aid and development
workers, some listening from overseas.
"Your
work has mattered and will matter for generations to come,” he told them.
Obama
has largely kept a low public profile during Trump’s second term and refrained
from criticizing the monumental changes that Trump has made to U.S. programs
and priorities at home and abroad.
“Gutting
USAID is a travesty, and it’s a tragedy. Because it’s some of the most
important work happening anywhere in the world,” Obama said. He credited USAID
with not only saving lives, but being a main factor in global economic growth
that has turned some aid-receiving countries into U.S. markets and trade
partners.
The
former Democratic president called Trump’s dismantling of USAID a “colossal
mistake” that hurts the U.S. and predicted that ”sooner or later, leaders on
both sides of the aisle will realize how much you are needed."
Asked
for comment, the State Department said it would be introducing the department’s
foreign assistance successor to USAID, to be called America First, this week.
“The
new process will ensure there is proper oversight and that every tax dollar
spent will help advance our national interests,” the department said.
USAID
oversaw programs around the world, providing water and life-saving food to
millions uprooted by conflict in Sudan, Syria, Gaza and elsewhere, sponsoring
the “Green Revolution” that revolutionized modern agriculture and curbed
starvation and famine, preventing disease outbreaks, promoting democracy, and
providing financing and development that allowed countries and people to climb
out of poverty.
Bush,
who also spoke in a recorded message, went straight to the cuts in a landmark
AIDS and HIV program started by his Republican administration and credited with
saving 25 million lives around the world.
Bipartisan
blowback from Congress to cutting the popular President’s Emergency Plan for
AIDS Relief, known as PEPFAR, helped save significant funding for the program.
But cuts and rule changes have reduced the number getting the life-saving care.
“You’ve
showed the great strength of America through your work — and that is your good
heart,’’ Bush told USAID staffers. “Is it in our national interests that 25
million people who would have died now live? I think it is, and so do
you," he said.
Former
Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, former Colombian President Juan
Manual Santos and former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield
also spoke to the staffers.
So did
humanitarian workers, including one who spoke of the welcome appearance of
USAID staffers with food when she was a frightened 8-year-old child in a
Liberian refugee camp. A World Food Program official vowed through sobs that
the U.S. aid mission would be back someday.
Bono, a
longtime humanitarian advocate in Africa and elsewhere, was announced as the
“surprise guest,” in shades and a cap.
He
jokingly hailed the USAID staffers as “secret agents of international
development” in acknowledgment of the down-low nature of Monday’s unofficial
gathering of the USAID community.
Bono
held back tears at times as he recited a poem he had written to the agency and
its gutting. He spoke of children dying of malnutrition, a reference to
millions of people who Boston University researchers and other analysts say
will die because of the U.S. cuts to funding for health and other programs
abroad.
“They
called you crooks. When you were the best of us,” Bono said.
Connecting
the Dots:
Bono was an advisory
board member for the Earth Institute (think tank), attended George
Soros’s 2013 wedding reception and is a co-founder for the ONE
Campaign.
George Soros was an advisory board member for the Earth
Institute (think tank), married in 2013 & Bono attended his 2013 wedding
reception and the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International
Rescue Committee.
Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation was a funder for the International
Rescue Committee and U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID).
ONE Campaign is
a partner with the International Rescue Committee.
Michelle Obama was
an advocate for the ONE Campaign, is married to Barack
Obama and a director at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.
Jim Edgar is a
director at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and was a
director at the World Food Program USA.
Cindy Hensley
McCain is an executive director for the World Food Program USA
and was an advocate for the ONE Campaign.
Michael R.
Bloomberg is an advocate for the ONE Campaign, a member of
the Alfalfa Club and the founder of the Bloomberg Family
Foundation.
George W. Bush is a member
of the Alfalfa Club, George H.W. Bush’s son and Jeb
Bush’s brother.
Jeb Bush is a
member of the Alfalfa Club, George W. Bush’s brother, a
director at the Bloomberg Family Foundation and George H.W. Bush’s
son.
Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation was a funder for the Bloomberg
Family Foundation, the U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID) and the Aspen Institute (think tank).
Bloomberg
Family Foundation was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen
Institute (think tank).
George Soros was
the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation was a funder for the Aspen
Institute (think tank) and the U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID).
Rajiv Shah was
the director of agricultural development for the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation, the agriculture undersecretary for the Barack
Obama administration, and is the administrator for the U.S. Agency
for International Development (USAID).
Henry
A. Kissinger was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute
(think tank) and a member of the Bohemian Club.
George H.W.
Bush was a member of the Bohemian Club and Jeb Bush &
George W. Bush’s father.
Belizean_Grove is
the equivalent to the male-only social group, the Bohemian Club.
Henrietta
Holsman Fore is a member of the Belizean Grove, a trustee
at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and was an administrator for
the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen
Institute (think tank).
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to
Promote Open Society.
Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation was a funder for the Aspen
Institute (think tank) and the U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID).
Bloomberg
Family Foundation was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).
Walter Isaacson is
a director at the Bloomberg Family Foundation, the president &
CEO for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and was the chairman &
CEO for CNN.
Ted Turner is the
founder of CNN and a co-chairman for the Nuclear Threat
Initiative (think tank).
Michael Douglas is
a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and a
friend of George Soros.
Warren E. Buffett is
an adviser at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and Howard
G. Buffett & Susan A. Buffett’s father.
Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a
funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).
Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace (think tank).
George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open
Society Foundations, a friend of Michael Douglas, a board
member for the International Crisis Group. and was the
chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and International Rescue
Committee.
Samuel R. Berger is
a board member for the International Crisis Group and a
director at the World Food Program USA.
Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation was a funder for the International
Rescue Committee and U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID).
ONE Campaign is
a partner with the International Rescue Committee.
Michael R.
Bloomberg is an advocate for the ONE Campaign and the
founder of the Bloomberg Family Foundation.
Michelle Obama was
an advocate for the ONE Campaign and is married to Barack
Obama.
Howard G. Buffett is a
director at the ONE Campaign and Warren E. Buffett’s son.
Susan A. Buffett is a
director at the ONE Campaign and Warren E. Buffett’s daughter.
Bono is a co-founder
for the ONE Campaign, was an advisory board member for the Earth
Institute (think tank) and attended George Soros’s 2013
wedding reception.
George Soros was an advisory board member for the Earth
Institute (think tank), married in 2013 & Bono attended his
2013 wedding reception and the chairman for the Foundation to Promote
Open Society.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International
Rescue Committee.
Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation was a funder for the International
Rescue Committee and U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID).
ONE Campaign is
a partner with the International Rescue Committee.
Morton H. Halperin is
a director at the ONE Campaign and Newmax’s Mark Halperin’s
father.
Mark Halperin is
Morton H. Halperin’s son, currently a host and commentator for Newsmax TV,
in 2010, Halperin joined MSNBC, becoming the senior political analyst and a
contributor, the founding editor for Bloomberg Politics.
Harold E. Ford Jr.
is a political commentator at MSNBC and was an overseer at the International
Rescue Committee.
ONE Campaign is
a partner with the International Rescue Committee.
Michael R.
Bloomberg is an advocate for the ONE Campaign, the founder
of the Bloomberg Family Foundation and the founder of Bloomberg
LP.
Bloomberg
Politics is a division of Bloomberg LP.
ONE Campaign is
a partner with the International Rescue Committee.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International
Rescue Committee.
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote
Open Society.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was a funder for the International Rescue Committee and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Madeleine K. Albright was an overseer at the International
Rescue Committee, an advisory board member of the Truman National
Security Project and the president of the Truman Center for
National Policy.
Kamala D. Harris is
an advisory board member for the Truman National Security Project an
advisory board member for the Truman Center for National Policy and
vice president of the Joseph R. Biden Jr administration.
R. Hunter Biden is
a director at the Truman National Security Project, a director at
the Truman Center for National Policy, Joseph R. Biden Jr’s son
and a director at the World Food Program USA.
World Food Programme (WFP)
is an international organization within
the United Nations (U.N.).
Jim Edgar was a
director at the World Food Program USA and a director at the Chicago
Council on Global Affairs.
Michelle Obama
is a director at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, married to Barack
Obama and was an advocate for the ONE Campaign.
Cindy Hensley
McCain was an advocate for the ONE Campaign and
is an executive director for the World Food Program USA.
ONE Campaign is
a partner with the International Rescue Committee.
Bono is a co-founder
for the ONE Campaign, was an advisory board member for the Earth
Institute (think tank) and attended George Soros’s 2013
wedding reception.
George Soros was an advisory board member for the Earth
Institute (think tank), married in 2013 & Bono attended his
2013 wedding reception and the chairman for the Foundation to Promote
Open Society.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International
Rescue Committee.
Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation was a funder for the International
Rescue Committee and U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID).
Resources:
Past Research
Bono
Rips Trump for Ending DACA: ‘This Country Was Built for Dreamers’ (Past Research on Bono)
Tuesday,
September 12, 2017
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2017/09/bono-rips-trump-for-ending-daca-this.html
Dr.
Morton Halperin – J Street Education Fund (Connecting the Dots: J Street,
Morton Halperin, The Open Society Foundations, Newsmax’s Mark Halperin, Rhonda
(Randi) Weingarten, The ONE Campaign, MSNBC, ACLU, The Carnegie & Soros
Funding) (Past Research on the ONE Campaign)
Tuesday,
June 17, 2025
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/06/dr-morton-halperin-j-street-education.html
Trump
Administration Memo Tells USAID to Put "America First" in Reviewing
Foreign Aid (Connecting the Dots: The U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID), National Security Council (NSC), Obama, The Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past
Research on the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID))
Sunday,
January 26, 2025
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/01/trump-administration-memo-tells-usaid.html
Jeb
Bush: Michael Bloomberg A ‘Good Man’ And A ’Patriot’ (Past
Research on the Bloomberg Family Foundation)
Sunday,
January 24, 2016
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2016/01/jeb-bush-michael-bloomberg-good-man-and.html
ESPN
Analyst: 'Star Spangled Banner' a 'War Anthem,' Shouldn't Be Played Before
Games (Past Research on George H.W. Bush)
Friday,
November 8, 2013
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2013/11/espn-analyst-star-spangled-banner-war.html
Dr.
Morton Halperin – J Street Education Fund (Connecting the Dots: J Street,
Morton Halperin, The Open Society Foundations, Newsmax’s Mark Halperin, Rhonda
(Randi) Weingarten, The ONE Campaign, MSNBC, ACLU, The Carnegie & Soros
Funding) (Past Research on Morton & Mark
Halperin)
Tuesday,
June 17, 2025
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/06/dr-morton-halperin-j-street-education.html
Game
Change: The Massive Conflict of Interest In Bloomberg Politics’ Attack On ‘Duck
Dynasty’ (Past Research on Mark Halperin & Bloomberg
Politics)
Tuesday,
May 5, 2015
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2015/05/game-change-massive-conflict-of.html
Progress
for America Voter Fund (Past Research on George W.
Bush)
Tuesday,
November 4, 2014
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2014/11/progress-for-america-voter-fund.html
UN
Food Agency: Gaza Stocks Depleted Amid Blockade (Connecting the Dots: Palestine
(Hamas), World Food Program, United Nations (U.N.), Hunter Biden, The Chicago
Council on Global Affairs & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on the World Food Program)
Friday,
April 25, 2025
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/04/un-food-agency-gaza-stocks-depleted.html
Madeleine
Albright, 1st Female US Secretary of State, Dies at 84 (Connecting Her Dots In
The Soros Network) (Past Research on Madeleine
Albright, Kamala Harris & Hunter Biden)
Thursday,
March 24, 2022
