“It is truly a disheartening day in America,” Omar remarked. “We are witnessing a constitutional crisis. We have discussed Trump’s desire to become a dictator from the very beginning, and now we find ourselves in this situation. This is indicative of the onset of dictatorship.”
Omar’s outburst focused on government entities such as USAID, which she asserted are vital to the United States’ “soft power” on the global stage. “What Trump, Elon, and their associates are attempting to do is undermine the constitutional authority of Congress,” she declared. “It is our responsibility to determine the allocation of funds.”
USAID and similar government programs have faced criticism for their lack of oversight. Omar also sought to defend federal employees, arguing that layoffs do not necessarily result in cost savings, as workers may continue to receive compensation while not actively working.
“Do you want individuals at home receiving a paycheck without delivering services to you?” she questioned. “The answer is no.”
Omar’s outburst exemplifies the growing anxiety among Democrats as Trump prepares to implement significant changes in Washington. A recent report indicated that the U.S. Agency for International Development, commonly referred to as USAID, closed its headquarters to staff on Monday following actions taken by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), currently overseen by Elon Musk.
An email was disseminated to agency personnel stating that this decision was made by “Agency leadership.” It further instructed staff to direct any responses to an email associated with Gavin Kliger, who serves as a special adviser to the director of the Office of Personnel Management and is also affiliated with DOGE, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. Early on Monday, Musk indicated that President Trump had “agreed” to the changes.
The successful execution of these actions was contingent upon the unwavering support of the President, as Musk articulated during a discussion on X Spaces. He elaborated on the USAID situation, stating that he had thoroughly reviewed it with the President, who concurred with the decision to terminate the agency’s operations.
Musk emphasized that he had sought confirmation from the President multiple times, to which the response was consistently affirmative. Consequently, the decision to proceed with the shutdown was made.
In the same conversation, which included former DOGE co-leader Vivek Ramaswamy and Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst, Musk expressed skepticism about the potential for reforming USAID, ultimately concluding that the agency should be dismantled.
“To clarify, the process of shutting down USAID is not merely a matter of minor adjustments; our investigation revealed that the agency is not simply flawed but fundamentally compromised. It is not an apple with a worm, but rather a mass of worms,” Musk articulated, as reported by The Hill.
He further explained that while one might salvage an apple with a single worm, a situation involving a mass of worms is irreparable. “In the absence of a viable core, the only option is to eliminate the entire entity,” Musk asserted, underscoring the necessity of this action due to the agency’s dire state.
Reports from staff members at the agency indicated that over 600 employees were locked out of their systems overnight, while those who retained access received a notification regarding the changes.
Musk and his team at DOGE have been striving to assume control of USAID to access its classified documents, which encompass various intelligence reports.
“We dedicated the weekend to dismantling USAID, foregoing potential social engagements for this task,” Musk remarked during a chat on X Spaces on Monday morning.
