WASHINGTON (Realist English). Former U.S. presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush issued rare public criticism of the Trump administration on Monday, warning that the closure of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) could result in more than 14 million avoidable deaths by 2030 — including millions of children.
Speaking in a farewell video conference for USAID staff on the agency’s final day as an independent institution, Obama called the move a “colossal mistake” and a “tragedy,” while Bush defended the life-saving legacy of American global health initiatives. The remarks follow the decision to dissolve USAID and fold it into the U.S. State Department under a new entity branded America First.
A Lancet study released Monday reinforced their concerns, estimating that the abrupt termination of USAID’s global health and humanitarian aid programs could lead to “a staggering number” of preventable deaths, with one-third among children. The cuts, announced in March by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, eliminated 83% of USAID’s operations and halted aid to dozens of countries.
“Gutting USAID is a travesty,” Obama said. “Because it’s some of the most important work happening anywhere in the world… Your work has mattered and will matter for generations to come.”
Bush highlighted the impact of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which he launched during his presidency and which has saved over 25 million lives. “Is it in our national interest that 25 million people who would have died now live? I think it is — and so do you,” he told staffers.
The Lancet report found that USAID-funded efforts had prevented more than 91 million deaths in low- and middle-income countries over the past two decades. Researchers said the consequences of the cuts could rival those of a major war or global pandemic — only this time, “the crisis would stem from a conscious and avoidable policy choice.”
USAID was founded by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 and long enjoyed bipartisan support. Under Donald Trump, however, the agency was attacked as wasteful and “run by radical left lunatics.” Billionaire Elon Musk echoed the rhetoric, calling it a “criminal organization.”
Monday’s call, reportedly attended by thousands, also featured former leaders Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Juan Manuel Santos, and former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield. Singer Bono recited a farewell poem, praising the agency’s staff as “the best of us.”
The Lancet authors warned that other international donors may follow the U.S. lead, worsening the situation. “Now is the time to scale up, not scale back,” said lead researcher Davide Rasella, referencing a UN development financing summit taking place this week in Seville.
Despite legal challenges, the agency’s dismantling is proceeding. All program funding was frozen in February, and staff were dismissed via mass emails. With USAID’s global operations now shuttered, experts say the humanitarian fallout is only beginning.