Former US Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush criticized President Donald Trump’s decisions to close the US International Development Agency (USAID), warning this step will cause millions of deaths and harm the global position of America.
Former presidents spoke in recorded reports that played for USAID employees on Monday, June 30, the last day of the agency as an independent organization after six decades of operation.
Assumed 14 million deaths
The new Lancet study estimates that extensive cuts could lead to more than 14 million other deaths by 2030, of which more than 4 million children.
“If sudden cuts of financing and carried out in the first half of 2025 are reversed in the first half of 2025, there may be a stunning number of deaths by 2030,” the scientists concluded.
They warned that the impact on lower -income nations would be comparable to the “global pandemic or a major armed conflict”.
Francisco Saúte, Director of the Research Center for Medical Research in Mosambique and co-author of the study, said: “Reducing this funding now not only threatens the lives-all, undermining the critical infrastructure that lasted decades to build.”
From JFK after switching off
The USAid was founded in 1961 under President John F. Kennedy and enjoyed Bipartisan support for a long time. But Trump’s administration made him a goal, and Trump described it as “radical left mad” and “huge scam”, while Elon Musk called it “criminal organization”.
In March, Foreign Minister Marco Rubio announced that 83% of USAID programs were canceled and the agency would be composed of a new office under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called “America First”.
Obama: “Colossal Error”
Obama’s remarks were unambiguous: “The USAID is tragedy and is a tragedy. Because it’s one of the most important works that happens anywhere in the world.”
He has credited USAID for saving lives, evoking economic development and creating new US business partners.
“Sooner or later, the leaders on both sides of the aisle will realize how much you need,” he added. “Your work mattered and it will depend on generations.”
Bush prevents global health heritage
George W. Bush focused on cuts on the presidential emergency plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar), a program that has scored more than 25 million lives since its creation.
“Is it in our national interests that 25 million people who would died now live? I think it is, and you also.”
He thanked USAID employees: “Through your work you showed great power to America – and that’s your good heart.”
Pepfar financing was determined to support the introduction of long -term drugs to prevent HIV in developing countries at the end of this year, but advocates are now afraid that these plans are at risk.
(Tagstotranslate) Barack Obama
