Bush, Obama and a tearful Bono fault Trump's gutting of USAID on agency's last day

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER
Updated 2:31 PM CDT, June 30, 2025

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush delivered rare open criticism of the Trump administration — and singer Bono held back tears as he recited a poem — in an emotional video farewell on Monday with staffers of the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Monday was the last day as an independent agency for the six-decade-old humanitarian and development organization, created by President John F. Kennedy as a peaceful way of promoting U.S. national security by boosting goodwill and prosperity abroad.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered USAID absorbed into the State Department on Tuesday.

The former presidents and Bono spoke during a videoconference with thousands in the USAID community, which was billed as a closed-press event to allow political leaders and others privacy for sometimes angry and often teary remarks. Parts of the video were shared with The Associated Press.



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/obama-bono-bush-usaid-trump-950f7708c01502c759f1c10524752b8e

[D. Spaulding]

1. This is all so crazy. And the way Big Orange has his followers cheering this on after

inspiring in them such animosity toward the rest of the world, and to the poor.
I feel like I'm stuck in a moment and I can't get out of it.

[True Dough]

26. And if, and if the night runs over

And if, the day won't last
And if your way should falter
Along this stony paths
It's just a moment
This time will pass.

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

32. The hell with TSF and all of his fans/followers.

A large swath of this nation’s people are cruel, hateful and just flat-out fucked up.

[question everything]

2. Bush criticized him? This is a first in 10 years.

[SalamanderSleeps]

23. A chicken hawk born of a chicken shit

Dick Cheney got his wish.

Lee Atwater got his dream.

Now, we are living it.

[D. Spaulding]

3. I'd like to see a video of that, if anyone runs across a link.

Didn't see on in the article.

[ancianita]

15. I've searched over hours. There are no YouTube (Google) video clips of the actual video conference.

Could be they didn't upload any segments, but also could be Google, hard to say.

[Bayard]

4. Musk called this program a, "criminal enterprise."

I'm sure because its saved millions of lives in other countries, promoting good will for our country. Sliding it over to the State Dept., and calling it, "America First," tells you exactly what this admin has in mind.

[Brenda]

10. Yet Musk is becoming a folk hero in some parts of DU.

Because he has a mad at Congress. And he's going to create a new American Party that includes everyone!

How short memories are.

[Bayard]

19. I haven't seen that from anyone here.....

[TheBadWolf]

22. Which parts?

Be specific.

[maccafan]

6. A sad day

I’m glad to see Obama, Bush, and Bono comment but it’s too late to do much now. Maybe I am just too pessimistic.

[notinkansas]

34. Speaking out about this

should have happened at the beginning of this travesty. The custom of past presidents not being critical of current presidents is bogus when the stakes are this high.

[Gimpyknee]

7. At last we hear from Dubya.

[JoseBalow]

8. Bono is number one!

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

[SalamanderSleeps]

21. Bono the original inventor of the credit default swap.

Jessie Helms is laughing in his grave.

[BigDemVoter]

9. Bush should shut his pie hole. . . .

He didn't want to endorse Kamala, and his silence was pretty damning. . . .

While I guess it's good he's speaking out, he should have done so when P*$$Y-Grabber was running.

[Brenda]

11. No shit about Shrub.

It's like oooooh NOW I see how bad Chump is.

Women need to find another fucking planet to live on because this one is irredeemable.

[LisaM]

30. Bush's SCOTUS and Citizens United CREATED Trump.

He can spare me the crocodile tears.

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

33. Here, here!

Very true comment about W.

[Evolve Dammit]

12. They are right. This totally sucks. No reason. Minimal "savings." Diminished world reach. Not good. n/t

[hamsterjill]

13. I would love it if Bono got the Nobel.

n/t

[Dulcinea]

14. Wouldn't that just send the Fascist Felon into a huge snit?

Stand by for the bigly rage tweeting, or whatever they call it these days! Bono is not only a humanitarian but one of my favorite musicians, so I can't say I'm completely objective, but he should at least be nominated.

[hamsterjill]

17. I echo what you've said. I really respect Bono.

I think Bono is deserving based on all of the GOOD he's done.

I've posted before that I believe SHOULD Trump EVER get the Nobel, it will be cheapened because it will have been bought by threats and whining. I sincerely hope the committee can see that and gives it to someone who truly deserves it.

[SalamanderSleeps]

25. Paul David Hewson - would never talk to you on the street in Dublin.

Whereas, Christy Moore can be trusted. And, he'd probably walk you home.

[hamsterjill]

31. What's your beef with Bono?

And why so insistent on trashing him? Two posts.

Serious question.

[SalamanderSleeps]

24. Are you really sure a banker should win the Nobel Peace Prize?

[MyOwnPeace]

16. We need this out for ALL to see!!!

And yes, Shrub SHOULD have been heard from long ago. And we also need loud, public proclamations from both Clintons and Presidents Obama and Biden!
ALL of the good things that they did for our country are being destroyed - they need to speak up!!!

[HighFired49]

18. What happened to the Supreme Court's recent reiteration

that only Congress has the authority to create, fund, and oversee federal agencies as put forth in our Constitution????

[SalamanderSleeps]

27. Lost in a Reagan fog?

[SunSeeker]

29. Apparently that only applied to agencies created by Congress.

This one was created by JFK. So DJT can destroy it.

[Harker]

28. Some people build beautiful castles of sand...

some people kick them down.