Elon Musk posted yesterday on X: “USAID is a criminal organization. Time for it to die.”
It is clear that Musk is taking swift action in his role in DOGE to cut any and all government waste, but his actions are not just about cutting costs — they’re also about rooting out corruption and getting the U.S. government out of areas it does not belong. Sure, making sure not another cent is spent on studies of shrimps on treadmills would be good, but there is also the far more monstrous and deep-rooted dedication to funneling millions upon millions of U.S. tax dollars to “spread democracy” overseas.
Ahead of Monday’s meeting in Brussels to discuss European security, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó stated in a Facebook post that “a new era in geopolitics has dawned.”
His post was focused on the reality of war and Europe’s need to commit to assuring its own security, noting that “Hungary is one of the NATO allies that spends between 2 percent on defense” and its dedication to improving its defense industry.
Trump has repeatedly demanded NATO allies do more, with some even questioning if the U.S. will pull out of the alliance altogether.
At the very least, the American president has made it clear he wants countries to spend 5 percent of their GDP on defense, which many balk at. Meanwhile, leaders are scrambling to remain relevant in any peace discussions between Ukraine and Russia, as they fear Trump will force Kyiv to agree to unfavorable terms.
The message is clear: A new era has dawned, and the U.S. wants to end conflicts once and for all and focus on America, on Americans. And perhaps no organ of the U.S. government has done more to instigate, promote, and indirectly fund conflict abroad than USAID.
Szijjártó’s post is more than just, “Let’s focus on our defense.” It’s more about asserting the ability of all of Europe to be able to step out on its own, out of the shadow of U.S. hegemony, and take its future into its own hands.
“We will break through the cynicism and make 2025 a fantastic year,” Orbán is quoted as saying in his latest interview on Kossuth Radio. In addition to increasing wages, invigorating Hungary’s middle class, and making sure pensioners are cared for, the prime minister made it clear that going forward, Hungary must look forward and elsewhere. This means, as the German economy in particular has hit troubled waters, looking more to Asia and the Middle East for opportunities for growth.
“We cannot be trapped in a declining European economy. Our partnerships with China, South Korea, and the Arab world will provide the growth opportunities we need,” he said.
In a recent roundtable discussion on the rise of Eurasia held by Kommentár magazine in Budapest, geopolitical expert Dr. Ágnes Bernek said: “Eurasia and Africa are the ‘global islands,’ and whoever dominates them dominates the world.”
As of now, the USAID site is down, its profile on X is gone, and senior officials there have been put on leave after refusing Musk access to their systems.
Mike Benz, a former State Department cybersecurity expert, posted documents on X showing the USAID’s guidance for media, specifically regarding the practice of “strategic silence.”
“Why was USAID actively instructing media organizations around the world to “AGREE POLICIES ON STRATEGIC SILENCE” to all collectively censor social media narratives?” he asks.
One of Trump’s first actions as president was to halt and review all U.S. foreign aid for 90 days. Many expect massive cuts to be in the works, as the new administration reprioritizes interests back home and has called to put an end to foreign meddling. This has an immediate impact on Hungary.
As reported by Remix News last week, this move has already affected HUF 173 million ($440,000) and “dozens of beneficiaries” who purportedly were to be given money for “strengthening and improving the sustainability of local and national independent public media” and for “media awareness and education and journalism training programs.”
Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán’s political director, Balázs Orbán, celebrated the news that Hungary’s “independent” press could lose millions in funding while also asking the obvious: Just how independent are these outlets if funded by a leftist U.S. agenda?
Remix News reported earlier on such media funding, noting that former ambassador to Budapest, David Pressman, had the final decision in allocating available funds. “Pressman has been so worried about the situation of the Hungarian media for years that last year he distributed 118 million forints and another 30 million forints to the left-liberal national and rural media in two rounds,” we reported last October.
Now, Pressman is gone. Trump Jr. had told Zoltán Szalai the editor-in-chief of Mandiner, at an MCC conference before his father won the election that Pressman’s attacks were “unprecedented” and “ridiculous,” saying things “will change the second my father wins.”
Things are definitely changing, fast. No one probably expected such a swift and extensive overhaul to what had been considered key organs of the U.S. government. But many countries, especially Hungary, are most likely breathing a sigh of relief and looking ahead with great optimism.
Stronger countries make for better allies, better relations, and better growth for all.