Colorado State Rep. Junie Joseph, a Democrat from Boulder, recently penned a letter to President Donald Trump, urging him to reconsider his decision to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Established by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, USAID provides billions of dollars in overseas humanitarian aid annually and employs over 10,000 people.
Joseph, who hails from Haiti and moved to the U.S. as a teenager, has first-hand experience of USAID’s impact in her home country and globally. She highlighted the agency’s work in promoting the rights of people with disabilities in African countries, where discrimination is rampant. Joseph emphasized the importance of USAID in creating more inclusive societies and building stronger, resilient communities worldwide through disaster relief, democratic governance programs, and empowering marginalized populations.
While the Trump administration has criticized USAID’s spending, citing instances of wasteful expenses, Joseph argued that these examples are outweighed by the organization’s life-saving and life-improving efforts. She stressed that closing USAID would not only reverse decades of progress but also tarnish America’s reputation as a leader in global development, democracy, and human rights.
President Trump and tech mogul Elon Musk have accused USAID of funding what they deem as unnecessary diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives overseas. A White House report titled “At USAID, Waste and Abuse Runs Deep” pointed to millions of dollars spent on these programs in various countries.
In her letter to the president, Rep. Junie Joseph urged him to protect and strengthen USAID’s mission, emphasizing the critical role the agency plays in advancing justice, human rights, and development across the globe. She warned that dismantling USAID would be a tragic mistake, undermining the nation’s values and global leadership.
