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Minnesota Now with Nina Moini
Nina Moini and Ellen Finn

U.S. Rep Ilhan Omar: Shutting down USAID is a constitutional crisis

woman speaks into mics with others around
U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) speak at a press conference outside of USAID headquarters on Monday, February 3, in Washington, DC. Elon Musk, tech billionaire and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), said in a social media post that he and U.S. President Donald Trump will shut down the foreign assistance agency.
Kayla Bartkowski | Getty Images

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The Trump administration announced Monday it intends to significantly shrink USAID and fold it into the state department, citing “ridiculous and malicious” projects within the humanitarian aid agency, according to an administration press release.

USAID has been around since the 1960s and has provided assistance to more than 100 countries. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday he is now the acting administrator of the program and blamed the agency’s issues on insubordination from agency employees. Democrats say that the move threatens humanitarian aid worldwide and could have deadly consequences.

U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar has criticized the significant changes being made to the agency and has argued President Trump does not have the authority to shut down USAID. Omar, who said she benefitted from the agency’s services as a child in a Kenyan refugee camp, joined Minnesota Now to talk about her concerns.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

Subscribe to the Minnesota Now podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

We attempt to make transcripts for Minnesota Now available the next business day after a broadcast. When ready they will appear here.