USAID Closure Puts “Millions of Lives at Risk,” Humanitarian Groups Warn

KQED's Forum

KQED

News Commentary, News, Politics

4.2 • 727 Ratings

🗓️ 10 February 2025

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

President Trump on Friday called for the closure of the U.S. Agency for International Development, America’s main humanitarian and development agency. The administration has already been dismantling USAID, over the last few weeks, forcing employees out and cutting off billions of dollars in foreign aid. Under the plan, the agency is to be left with less than 600 staff out of about 10,000. Critics, like former USAID official Jeremy Konyndyk say the closure will “put millions of lives at risk” and could undermine US foreign policy. We’ll look at what feeding USAID into the “woodchipper,” as Elon Musk has pledged, means for those who rely on its services, which include HIV treatment, disaster relief, and children’s health. Guests: Jeremy Konyndyk, president, Refugees International. He also led USAID offices during previous administrations. Joia Mukherjee, chief medical officer, Partners In Health Elissa Miolene, reporter covering USAID and the U.S. government, Devex Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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0:00.0	Support for Forum comes from Rancho La Puerta, boated the number one wellness resort and spa by readers of travel and leisure magazine in 2024.
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0:26.6	Support for Forum comes from Broadway SF, presenting Parade, the musical revival based on a true story.
0:34.4	From three-time Tony-winning composer Jason Robert Brown comes the story of Leo and Lucille Frank,
0:40.6	a newlywed Jewish couple struggling to make a life in Georgia. When Leo is accused of an
0:46.3	unspeakable crime, it propels them into an unimaginable test of faith, humanity, justice, and
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1:02.1	The riveting and gloriously hopeful parade plays the Orpheum Theater for three weeks only, May 20th through June 8th.
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1:09.0	From KQED.
1:24.2	From KQED in San Francisco, I'm Alexis Madrigal.
1:32.7	You've probably heard that the Trump administration is gutting USAID, a major source of humanitarian aid around the world.
1:42.1	This tiny piece of the American budget nonetheless has supported countless programs in children's health, disaster relief, and HIV treatment.
1:48.2	While it's not at all clear why Elon Musk and Donald Trump have so aggressively moved against USAID, it is clear that some very poor people will suddenly have less care, fewer treatments,
1:54.5	and attenuated programs.
1:56.2	We talk about the on-the-ground impacts of losing USAID and efforts underway to save the agency.
2:02.0	It's all coming up next, right after this news.
2:04.9	Welcome to Forum.
2:13.9	I'm Alexis Madrigal.
2:16.6	There have been critics of USAID since its creation during the Cold War.
2:21.5	Some of them have come from the left, people suspicious of any vehicle of American power, no matter how soft.
	...

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