The United States Agency for International Development ( USAID ) has long played a significant role in international health initiatives, including funding research on new infectious diseases. One of its most considerable programmes, Indicate, launched in 2009, aimed to identify and track diseases with pandemic possible. Through Forecast, USAID provided offers to several organisations, including EcoHealth Alliance, to research viruses in wildlife and evaluate their ability to harm humans.
EcoHealth Alliance collaborated with several institutions, including the Wuhan Institute of Virology ( WIV ) in China, to conduct research on bat coronaviruses. This collaboration involved taking samples from owls and studying their pathogens to better comprehend the possibility of a spill into human populations. By identifying and characterizing viruses before they could cause widespread occurrences, the goal was to increase global preparedness for possible pandemics.
The development of COVID-19 has led to investigation of these cooperation, with some suggesting that study conducted at the WIV may be linked to the pandemic’s nature. There is currently no conclusive proof to back up the claim that the disease was the result of a laboratory event. The causes of SARS-CoV-2 are still being investigated by the World Health Organization and other global organizations to improve our understanding.
The USAID’s funding of research at the WIV was a component of wider efforts to prevent epidemics by studying infections in their natural pools. These initiatives aim to advance global health safety by identifying potential hazards first and developing strategies to counteract them.
Expand opposed USAID: Why Musk and Trump Want to Locked This’ Deep State ‘ Asset
President Donald Trump placed a nearly total freeze on international aid in January 2025. Elon Musk made the announcement soon after that he and Trump were working on completely shutting down USAID. People reported being instructed never to report to work, with USAID headquarters in Washington, D. C., closed to employees except for important team.
Musk did not mince thoughts, labelling USAID a” legal organisation”, a speech backed by Trump, who described the company as “run by extreme maniacs”. With the Department of Government Efficiency ( DOGE ) granting unprecedented control over federal agencies, this unlikely alliance has transformed traditional government structures.
Musk views USAID as a bloated relic of the Cold War, an expensive tool for foreign meddling masquerading as humanitarian aid. To Musk, it’s not about saving lives, it’s about saving taxpayer dollars and limiting US involvement in global manipulation. Technocrats in Trump’s inner circle have a similar viewpoint, and they think the country is hampered by America’s desire to act as a global policeman.
The Role of USAID in America’s Global Strategy
Founded in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, USAID was intended to promote democracy, freedom, and capitalism through aid. The iron fist of US foreign policy is the velvet glove, claim critics, and USAID. It funds NGOs, civil society organisations, and media outlets aligned with American interests. USAID “promotes democracy,” which is often understood as supporting governments that are favorable to US interests and undermining those that aren’t in places where military intervention would be too obvious.
According to Mike Benz, a former State Department official, USAID isn’t just another aid agency—it’s the linchpin of America’s global influence. USAID coordinates foreign influence efforts, acting as the central hub connecting the State Department, the Pentagon, and the Intelligence Community. Its mission, Benz argues, is not purely humanitarian but strategic: building institutions in foreign countries to align with US interests.
Reactions to USAID’s Dismantling
Not everyone supports Musk and Trump’s aggressive stance. According to critics, destroying USAID would be a geopolitical error. It was” the total destruction of an organization that has saved countless lives and served American interests for decades,” according to Democratic Senator Chris Murphy. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez reacted with caution by claiming that the influence of an unelected billionaire on US foreign policy poses a serious threat to national security.
Even some Republicans are uneasy. USAID has played a significant role in stabilizing areas where affluence could lead to terrorism. Without USAID, the US loses a key tool of soft power, potentially leading to increased military interventions.
Geopolitical Implications: Advantage China?
China is expanding its global influence through the Belt and Road Initiative, signing infrastructure agreements, and providing loans without political conditions, while Musk and Trump concentrate on destroying USAID. China intervenes where USAID pulls out, offering an alternative development model without the constraints of political change.
The implications are significant. Without USAID, America risks losing its soft power advantage, ceding influence in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to China. Xi Jinping is making strategic investments to reshape the global order while Musk and Trump dream about domestic expansion.
