By Charles Switzer
2:48pm PST, Feb 7, 2025
Trump's Deep State Purge Targets USAID and More
President Donald Trump's administration is moving at lightning speed to dismantle what it calls the "Deep State," starting with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The gutting of USAID is just the first step, as Elon Musk and top Cabinet officials aggressively comb through agencies to remove employees deemed "anti-Trump," "anti-American" or too "woke."
The move has stunned Washington, as even seasoned political insiders were unprepared for the scale and tactics of these cost-cutting efforts.
"The country voted for change, and we're watching representative government in the 21st century," Fox News anchor Jesse Watters shared.
Here is everything that has Democrats on edge.
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CIA Buyouts, DOJ Investigations and Musk's Growing Influence
The Trump administration's efforts extend far beyond USAID. The CIA has begun offering buyouts to its entire workforce under new director John Ratcliffe, while Attorney General Pam Bondi is launching a "Weaponization Working Group" to scrutinize FBI agents and prosecutors involved in Trump-related cases.
Meanwhile, Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has clashed with USAID officials, attempting to seize control of secure government payroll and financial systems.
Insiders report that State Department employees suspect officials are now combing through LinkedIn profiles to assess loyalty.
State Department Faces 'Deep State' Crackdown
The State Department and National Security Council (NSC) have emerged as major ideological battlegrounds. Even before Trump's inauguration, his team was reportedly pressuring employees to resign en masse.
National Security Adviser Michael Waltz openly declared his intention to purge the "Deep State," while Secretary of State Marco Rubio has taken aim at diplomats who support engagement with Cuba and Iran.
A 2023 report by Rubio and Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), Diversity Over Diplomacy, slammed the State Department's DEI initiatives, setting the stage for the current overhaul.
USAID Shutdown Sparks Outrage and Constitutional Questions
USAID, which oversees $40 billion dollars in foreign aid, has been effectively dismantled overnight. The agency's website was taken down, employees were placed on leave, and its headquarters was shut down.
Overseas personnel have been ordered home within 30 days.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt mocked the agency's spending, citing a "$32,000 transgender comic book in Peru."
Democrats have decried the move as authoritarian overreach, with Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) warning, "This is what the beginning of dictatorship looks like."
Musk's USAID 'Wood Chipper' Moment and What's Next
The planet's richest person celebrated USAID's downfall, boasting on X, "We spent the weekend feeding USAID into the wood chipper."
While Trump signaled he may not fully eliminate the agency, he has placed Rubio in charge as acting director with the power to reshape it from within. Rubio and Musk's team are now reviewing expenditures, enforcing a Trump executive order that freezes foreign aid.
The administration claims it is simply cutting waste, but critics see a broader effort to reshape American governance under Trump's iron grip.
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