Trump and Musk Are Dismantling USAID—and Democracy Along With It

A Combat Veteran’s Warning About the National Security Threat "Real Americans" Aren't Talking About

The screenshot above contains the last message that was on USAID.gov before Musk erased the website completely. Now, the website is just a blank, white page.

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I have spent my career fighting for democracy. First as a soldier deployed to Iraq, where I saw firsthand the cost of instability and the necessity of strong diplomatic and humanitarian initiatives. Later, as an investigator exposing violent extremists here at home, I experienced firsthand how the erosion of democratic institutions leads to real-world threats. Additionally, during my time as Chief Investigator at Vietnam Veterans of America, I uncovered how foreign entities, particularly Russia’s Internet Research Agency, targeted veterans with disinformation campaigns designed to undermine trust in democratic institutions and manipulate public opinion. These same tactics are now being deployed on a much larger scale to dismantle critical institutions like USAID and weaken America's ability to counter authoritarian influence.

That is why I am sounding the alarm, and I’m hoping people outside the beltway will listen: Trump and Musk's dismantling of USAID is an authoritarian power grab with severe national security consequences.

The destruction of USAID is not merely about cutting foreign aid or trimming bureaucracy. It is an intentional act of political warfare, aimed at seizing power, silencing dissent, and laying the groundwork for an authoritarian global alliance. If we fail to act now, the damage will extend far beyond Washington. Every American community will feel the effects.

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USAID Is More Than Foreign Aid—It’s a Pillar of National Security

USAID has played an indispensable role in maintaining America’s global leadership and stability. Its core mission is simple yet crucial: stabilize fragile regions, prevent crises before they escalate into conflicts requiring military intervention, and bolster democracies to counteract authoritarian regimes. The agency’s programs provide famine relief, distribute vaccines, combat human trafficking, and ensure that American farmers and businesses have access to emerging markets.

Its dissolution is a deliberate act of sabotage against America’s geopolitical standing. Those of us who have served in conflict zones know the cost of neglecting diplomatic and humanitarian efforts. Without USAID, we will see more instability, increased extremist recruitment, and an escalation in preventable conflicts.

This is not just about international policy—it is a direct assault on the American economy and working-class communities. USAID funds programs in every U.S. state, from supporting Montana’s agricultural exports to funding academic research in Texas and Pennsylvania. The agency also plays a role in securing supply chains for critical resources, ensuring that America is not solely reliant on adversarial nations for essential goods such as medical supplies and minerals for advanced technologies.

USAID has long been a third pillar of national security, alongside defense and diplomacy. It operates at the intersection of humanitarian relief and geopolitical strategy, ensuring that global crises do not escalate into full-scale wars. Cutting it weakens our alliances, diminishes our global influence, and forces the U.S. into reactionary military interventions.

The elimination of USAID is not just an ideological maneuver—it is an attack on America’s economic and national security interests.

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Trump and Musk’s Authoritarian Playbook: USAID Is Just the Beginning

This is not about conservative versus liberal policy approaches—this is about dismantling democratic governance entirely.

The destruction of USAID serves as a test case for Trump’s broader effort to erode Congressional oversight and consolidate executive power. His allies have already indicated that the Department of Education is next in line, and we should not assume they will stop there. Their ultimate objective is clear: a federal government fully controlled by the executive branch, stripped of independent agencies and oversight, and restructured to serve corporate and authoritarian interests.

As Anne Applebaum outlines in Autocracy, Inc.—an essential read for anyone trying to understand this moment—autocrats do not seize power overnight. Instead, they methodically dismantle institutions, replace competent officials with loyalists, and create legal gray zones to neutralize opposition. The dismantling of USAID is a blueprint for a broader authoritarian transformation. This is a direct attack on democratic governance, and it is part of a global movement to align America with authoritarian regimes.

What we are seeing is the acceleration of Project 2025, the far-right playbook for dismantling the federal government. The destruction of USAID is a test for what will follow: cuts to education, environmental protections, labor rights, and public health initiatives. If they succeed, we will see an unprecedented rollback of the rights and protections that underpin American democracy.

This is exactly what we have warned about. The authoritarian forces we fought against overseas are now attempting to seize control at home. The same billionaire class funding far-right movements in Europe and Russia is now backing Trump and Musk’s efforts to consolidate unchecked power in the United States. I saw firsthand at Vietnam Veterans of America how these forces infiltrated online spaces to manipulate veterans and service members, exploiting their trust to advance anti-democratic agendas. Now, this same strategy is being executed at the federal level, using institutional destruction rather than disinformation alone to weaken America’s democratic foundations.

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A National Security Crisis That Congress Must Stop

This is not just an administrative decision—it is a direct threat to American national security. Trump is using the destruction of USAID to test whether he can bypass Congress entirely. If he succeeds, this will become the template for dismantling other agencies and centralizing power in the executive branch.

The United States will not just lose its diplomatic influence—we will also face increased global instability that will directly impact our economy and safety. Our international adversaries, including China and Russia, will exploit the vacuum left by USAID’s absence to expand their own influence, further threatening global democracy.

The erosion of USAID’s functions also threatens critical infrastructure here at home. Disaster response capabilities, global health security, and counterterrorism funding are all tied to USAID. The absence of these programs weakens America’s ability to prevent crises before they reach our shores.

Congress must act immediately to prevent this power grab. This is not a partisan issue—it is a constitutional crisis.

What You Can Do Right Now:

1. Call your Senators and Representatives and demand immediate oversight into Trump’s illegal dissolution of USAID. For detailed instructions on how to effectively contact your representatives about this specific issue, visit this page at 5Calls.org:

2. Educate your network about what is happening. (Have I mentioned that you should start an Antifascist Book Club yet?) Share this post and discuss the implications.

3. Support investigative journalism and advocacy efforts that expose authoritarian overreach and defend democratic institutions. While it’s my intention to keep posting all of my articles for free, it’s people taking the step to upgrade their subscription to ‘paid’ that makes this project sustainable for me.

We still have time to stop this—but only if we act now. The fight against fascism at home and abroad is one and the same. If we allow the destruction of USAID to go unchecked, we lose a critical tool for democracy, and that is exactly what Trump and Musk want.

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America’s veterans did not serve their country to watch it fall into the hands of corrupt billionaires and aspiring dictators. If we allow them to dismantle USAID today, they will come for everything else tomorrow. This is our moment to fight back.

This is not a time for silence or complacency. If you value democracy, if you value American leadership in the world, if you value a future where the U.S. remains a force for stability and progress, then you must act now.