Former U.S. Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama have once again united, this time to condemn the dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under Donald Trump. In a joint appearance with U2’s Bono, a long-time humanitarian advocate, the two former leaders expressed serious concern over the loss of programs they deemed essential to America’s global influence and moral standing.
In a video released recently, both Bush and Obama lauded departing USAID employees, particularly those whose efforts to combat AIDS and HIV in Africa are credited with saving over 25 million lives. The former presidents framed President Trump’s decision not only as a short-sighted policy move but also as a moral failure.
“You’ve shown the world the true strength of America with your compassion,” Bush said, addressing the departing staff. “Is it in our national interest that 25 million people who would have died are now alive? I believe it is, and so do you.”
Bush, who has largely refrained from publicly criticizing Trump since 2016, appeared visibly moved as he thanked the staff. It was during his presidency that the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) was established, a program widely considered one of the most impactful humanitarian efforts of modern times.
Obama, in contrast, expressed sharper criticism: “Dismantling USAID is a disgrace and a disaster,” he said. “It erases some of the most essential work being done in the world. In time, leaders from both parties will realize just how vital you are.”
Their remarks followed Trump’s decision earlier this year, in partnership with billionaire Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency, to shut down much of USAID’s international operations. Now, only a skeleton crew remains, with USAID’s functions absorbed by the State Department.
Months before the formal shutdown, Musk had publicly criticized USAID, labeling it “a viper’s nest of radical-left Marxists who despise America.” The Trump administration, citing years of inefficiency and corruption, made USAID one of the first agencies in its campaign to cut down what it referred to as bloated government bureaucracy.
The New York Post reported this week that the formal transfer of USAID’s responsibilities to the State Department was completed. Moving forward, foreign assistance programs will be overseen by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has defended the restructuring as necessary for efficiency rather than abandonment.
Rubio responded to Bush and Obama’s criticism, arguing, “Aside from creating a global NGO industrial complex at taxpayer expense, USAID has little to show since the end of the Cold War. Development goals have often gone unmet, instability has risen, and anti-American sentiment has grown.”
He framed the overhaul as a “course correction.” “The era of government inefficiency has ended,” he declared. “Under the Trump administration, we’re building a foreign aid strategy that prioritizes American interests first.” According to Rubio, the new policy will focus on “greater accountability, strategy, and measurable results.”
However, Bush and Obama’s rare show of unity resonated strongly across the international community and among long-time aid workers. For many, it symbolized something greater than partisan politics — a defense of America’s standing as a leader in global humanitarian efforts.
Both former presidents had built on each other’s global health initiatives during their presidencies. Bush’s PEPFAR and Obama’s expansion of USAID’s educational and agricultural programs helped redefine U.S. engagement worldwide. Bono, who had collaborated with both leaders, called USAID “a quiet army of compassion,” which saved millions of lives without seeking public recognition.
“America’s greatness has never been solely about power,” Bono said in the video. “It’s about generosity — about people like those in USAID who believed in helping others, even when nobody was watching.”
Critics of the decision to eliminate USAID argue that the repercussions will go far beyond humanitarian aid. Without the agency, programs supporting clean water, education, disaster relief, and women’s health in developing countries are at risk of collapsing. Experts warn that scaling back U.S. engagement in vulnerable regions could leave space for rival powers like China and Russia to increase their influence.
“The irony,” a former USAID regional director remarked, “is that this was one of the few federal programs that actually delivered results — measurable lives saved, governments stabilized, communities rebuilt. To call that wasteful is to misunderstand what American leadership truly means.”
Supporters of Trump’s move, however, contend that the agency had become politically entrenched and unaccountable. They argue that millions of dollars were squandered on projects with minimal transparency or benefit to U.S. citizens. Musk himself tweeted that consolidating USAID’s functions under the State Department would “end decades of corruption and restore accountability.”
Inside the agency, morale reportedly plummeted in the lead-up to the shutdown. Longtime employees described the final weeks as “funeral-like.” One senior staffer said, “We weren’t just losing our jobs — we were losing the mission that defined us.”
For Bush and Obama, this issue went beyond policy. Their rare collaboration underscored a shared belief that America’s role in the world is not just about power, but about compassion. Both leaders viewed global aid not as charity but as a strategic effort — one that fosters stability, reduces extremism, and strengthens alliances.
Bush summed it up best: “Our compassion isn’t weakness. It’s strength. It reflects who we are.”
As USAID’s operations wind down, its legacy lives on in the millions of lives it touched across Africa, Asia, and beyond. Hospitals were built, children vaccinated, teachers trained — all under the quiet umbrella of American goodwill. Whether that spirit can survive within a downsized bureaucracy remains uncertain.
But for now, the image of two former presidents — one Republican, one Democrat — standing together to defend it serves as a reminder of something rare: that despite all the noise, there are still leaders who believe that America’s greatness is not just in its might, but in its mercy.