Nathan Fielder

University of Richmond Alum | Trust The Process | Donate Blood

[Chris Murphy 🟧 @ChrisMurphyCT]

USAID is not some free agent that spends money how it wants. It runs programs as directed by Congress. Our Secretary of State used to defend USAID as key to our national security strategy - as most Republicans did. Now he's suddenly got a different view.

[Rep. Jamie Raskin @RepRaskin]

This is a defamatory lie easily debunked by public financial reports.

As a DOGE Special Government Employee, your financial reports should be public too.

As a government contractor who rakes in billions from taxpayers, do you have a conflict of interest waiver? Let’s see it.

[peepeepoopoo @DeepDishEnjoyer]

man

[Steve Rattner @SteveRattner]

The US spends a small amount of its GDP on foreign aid compared to other major economies. Dismantling USAID won’t help Americans — it’s just cruel & reckless political theatrics.

My @Morning_Joe Chart

[Armand Domalewski @ArmandDoma]

I haven’t actually seen a single piece of evidence of fraud and waste discovered by DOGE at USAID so far. all the examples have just been people mad about democracy promotion and health programs in foreign countries? which, like, you can disagree with, but that’s not fraud

[Benjamin Ryan @benryanwriter]

Please listen to Stephanie Nolen. Seriously, actually listen. And think. Reflect that maybe you don’t understand US foreign aid the way you think you do.

Seriously, actually stop and think.

Seriously.

“@K.M Thanks for reading. I know many people share the view that it is inappropriate for the United States to spend money to assist developing countries when there are people struggling to access health care or other assistance at home. The thing that I think this perspective misses, based on my many years of reporting on this subject, is that much of the U.S. spending is not altruistic. It's done to directly serve the interests of the United States. The U.S. funds almost all disease surveillance in Africa, for example – and yes, that protects Africans, but it also protects Americans, who are much safer when Ebola or a new mpox strain are detected while still in Uganda or D.R.C., rather than when they have traveled with a passenger bound for Kansas. The U.S. funds tuberculosis treatment in poor countries because Americans are less safe if extremely drug resistant strains of TB are permitted to evolve and spread. U.S. agencies do many clinical trials in developing countries. Supporting primary health care in very fragile states helps maintain peace. I could list 1,000 examples of how this spending directly contributes to U.S. national security. Is money spent to support these kinds of projects then actually money spent to assist Americans? (It also doesn't hurt to maintain an international image as a country interested in partnership, when seeking places for military bases or a friendly environment for U.S. mining companies, for example.)”

[Benjamin Ryan @benryanwriter]

A lot of people are portraying USAID as some sort of bastion of looney DEI excesses. Let’s take a look at what the sudden arresting of their operation is doing to global health. Please read the thread (my thread, not Ryan James’):

[Christopher Ingraham🦗 @_cingraham]

NYT when a Democrat pushes boundaries: Preposterous! It's against the rules for a dog to play basketball
When a Republican does it: Golden Retriever stuns onlookers with flawless dunk

[Aaron Rupar @atrupar]

Murphy: "Let's not pull any punches about why this is happening. Elon Musk makes billions off of his business with China. And China is cheering at this action today. There is no question that the billionaire class trying to take over our govt right now is doing it based on self-interest."

[Hanno Lustig @HannoLustig]

Just had a good phone call with Trader Joe's. I'm going to keep shopping there for now.

[Marco Rubio @marcorubio]

Foreign Aid is not charity. We must make sure it is well spent, but it is less than 1% of budget & critical to our national security.

[Brian Tyler Cohen @briantylercohen]

Apparently, allowing Americans to file their tax returns for free is a bad thing. A big gift to the Big Tax lobby and a big middle finger to Americans.

[CSPAN @cspan]

.@SenatorAndyKim at USAID: "I talked to the security guard just in there. He said he has been given specific orders to prevent employees of USAID from entering the building today. I just find that to be absolutely ridiculous. This is no way to govern."

[James Martin, SJ @JamesMartinSJ]

In its simplest terms, the apparent demise of #USAID is the result of the world's richest man ending a program that helps millions of poor people. You don't need a Ph.D. in moral theology to see why this is an evil. You can just read Jesus's parables on the rich and the poor.

[Jay in Kyiv @JayinKyiv]

Putin never dreamed he could ever dismantle USAID.

Musk did it for him in a few days.

[Mehdi Hasan @mehdirhasan]

Imagine if a Democratic administration had taken down a memorial to 99 Americans killed serving their country abroad.

Just imagine the response from the right.

[Ron Filipkowski @RonFilipkowski]

Trump’s new State Department appointee.

[Michael McFaul @McFaul]

How to Help China Win Cold War 2.0: (1) pick fights with allies, (2) impose tariffs, threaten to seize property & bully countries in the developing world; (3) cut off foreign aid (4) abandon democracy promotion; (5) purge expert national security officials, (6) foster divisions in American society.

[Mehdi Hasan @mehdirhasan]

He just tweets out complete disinformation, complete lies (even if it was leaked from a lab, which we have no evidence for, Covid isn’t a bioweapon and USAID didn’t fund its creation) and millions instantly believe his lies and disinformation.

No factchecking or media org can cope with this - or with his reach.

Not sure how democracy survives in this online environment and with people like Musk flooding the zone in an unprecedented and almost unstoppable way.

[Art Candee 🍿🥤 @ArtCandee]

President Elon Musk and DOGE are reportedly also looking at ways to get rid of the FDIC.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation protects bank deposits up to $250,000 per account, ensuring customers don’t lose their money if a bank fails.

But sure, let’s ditch the FDIC—because bank runs and financial ruin sound like fun!

Who needs deposit insurance when we can just cross our fingers and hope our life savings don’t vanish overnight?

Nothing says “economic stability” like a full-blown financial apocalypse.

🙄