Video at the bottom!
On the steps of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., the House Committee on Foreign Affairs is currently in session, holding a hearing titled “U.S. Betrayal.” This hearing focuses on the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), established in the 1960s by President John F. Kennedy to provide billions in humanitarian assistance.
Recent comments from former President Trump and entrepreneur Elon Musk have put the agency in the spotlight. Both have criticized USAID’s alignment with Trump’s agenda, with calls to shut it down as an independent entity and potentially reassign its functions under the State Department. Trump’s strong remarks included describing USAID as being managed by “a bunch of radical lunatics,” while Musk labeled it a “criminal organization.”
The hearing comes just days after the White House dismissed USAID Inspector General Paul Martin. His office had issued a critical report warning that the Trump administration’s freeze on foreign assistance and cuts to agency staffing were undermining oversight of humanitarian aid. The report noted these changes could prevent USAID from ensuring that funding does not reach violent extremist groups.
As the hearing commenced, protests broke out, briefly interrupting proceedings. Members of the committee acknowledged the importance of the issues at hand and requested that witnesses limit their remarks to allow for questions from committee members.
Max Primra, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation and former USAID employee, began his statement. He emphasized the effectiveness of programs funded by USAID, suggesting that some critics might be unaware of the agency’s successes.
The protestors were subsequently removed, and the hearing resumed. For those interested in watching the session live and uninterrupted, it is available on Fox’s YouTube channel.
