Where USAID Is Going

Chart of the Week #41

Last week was a bit hectic with the new Crisis Investing issue and our preparations for the Plan B Uruguay Conference, so we had to skip our weekly "Chart of the Week" feature. To make up for it, we’re kicking off this week with one that’s especially relevant to the ongoing USAID drama currently dominating the headlines.

But first—just for context (and a few laughs)—here’s a video of Democrats freaking out over President Trump’s 90-day freeze on foreign aid and plan to overhaul USAID, as they lead a mob of protesters into the agency’s headquarters. They aren’t handling it too well, are they?

Here’s the transcript:

As you probably saw, Elon Musk and his crew put a gag order on AID employees. They disconnected them from email, which is putting lives at risk around the world.

So, we are here to enter the building and hear firsthand from whoever is here at AID, or at least witness firsthand what is happening with this Elon Musk attempted takeover, which will not stand.

We will prevail.

Let's go.

I don’t know about you, but it looks (and sounds) kind of insurrection-y to me. Oh, the irony.

And then there’s that statement—“[they are] putting lives at risk around the world”—pretty strong words, don’t you think?

Well, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt gave us a peek yesterday at some of the USAID priorities that have supposedly been saving lives globally. Here are a few highlights:

• $1.5 million to advance DEI in Serbia's workplaces.

• $70,000 for a production of a DEI musical in Ireland.

• $47,000 for a transgender opera in Colombia.

• $32,000 for a transgender comic book in Peru.

Can someone explain why anyone in America should be concerned with “advancing DEI in Serbia’s workplaces” or funding a “transgender opera” in Colombia? I’ll wait.

Now, to be fair, not everything USAID does revolves around DEI and trans activism. Some of their programs probably do help (some) people in need around the world. But with over 10,000 employees, operations in more than 60 countries, and billions of dollars unaccounted for, it’s easy to see why USAID is a prime target for Trump and DOGE’s overhaul.

Speaking of those billions, let’s break down the major nation recipients of U.S. foreign aid. That’s exactly what this week’s chart below shows. Take a look.

Note: We’re working with 2023 numbers here, since the 2024 data isn’t fully available yet. But this should give you a good sense of where things stand.

No surprise, Ukraine tops the list as the largest recipient. In fact, if you combined the totals for all the other countries, you’d “only” get around $9.2 billion—not even close to Ukraine’s share.

But setting Ukraine aside, what really jumps out from the chart is that none of these countries are exactly shining examples of democracy. I mean, isn’t democracy what the Democrats care so much about? But no—what we have here are some of the most authoritarian and corrupt places you can find.

And therein lies the real reason the Democrats were at USAID throwing a tantrum. It’s not about helping foreign nations—it’s about losing the kickbacks and benefits from the money-laundering schemes USAID has been fronting for years. Their panic tells you everything you need to know.

Doug Casey said it best:

Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries.

Regards,

Lau Vegys