In a rare public rebuke, former President George W. Bush criticized Donald Trump for shutting down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), delivering pointed remarks during a farewell video call with agency staff on Monday. Joining Bush were former President Barack Obama and U2 frontman Bono, as USAID officially ceased operations after more than 60 years of global humanitarian work.
Created by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, USAID was designed to promote U.S. national security through economic development and goodwill abroad. Its operations are now being folded into the State Department, under the supervision of Senator Marco Rubio, as part of Trump’s sweeping government overhaul.
Bush, speaking to thousands of agency employees, took a veiled swipe at the deep cuts made to global health programs, particularly the HIV/AIDS initiative known as PEPFAR, which his administration launched and which is credited with saving more than 25 million lives.
“You’ve shown the great strength of America through your work—and that is your good heart,” Bush said in a pre-recorded message. “Is it in our national interest that 25 million people who would have died now live? I think it is, and so do you.”
USAID was among the first agencies targeted by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an office established under Trump’s second term to slash federal spending. DOGE’s most high-profile supporter, Elon Musk, publicly labeled USAID a “criminal organization,” igniting backlash from lawmakers and humanitarian groups alike.
Congressional pushback helped preserve some funding for PEPFAR, though the World Health Organization has warned that Trump’s freeze on foreign aid could soon leave several countries without access to life-saving HIV treatment.
Obama, who has largely avoided direct criticism of Trump during his second term, called the dismantling of USAID a “colossal mistake” in his remarks to staff.
“Your work has mattered and will matter for generations to come,” he said. “Gutting USAID is a travesty—and a tragedy—because it’s some of the most important work happening anywhere in the world.”
Obama emphasized how USAID efforts not only saved lives but also opened new global markets, promoting both humanitarian goals and U.S. economic interests. He expressed hope that future leaders—regardless of party—would come to recognize the agency’s value: “Sooner or later, leaders on both sides of the aisle will realise how much you are needed.”
A surprise guest on the call, Bono, a longtime humanitarian activist and vocal supporter of foreign aid, delivered an emotional tribute. Fighting back tears, the singer read an original poem dedicated to the departing agency.
“They called you crooks,” Bono said. “When you were the best of us.”
