USAID website shut down as Musk kills humanitarian aid agency

USAID.gov is unreachable and the foreign aid agency is targeted for termination.
 By 
Chase DiBenedetto
 on 
The USAID building.
USAID.gov is unreachable. Credit: Jason C. Andrew/Bloomberg via Getty Images

As DOGE head Elon Musk works to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID's official website has gone dark.

Following Musk's threats to kill the office in charge of distributing foreign aid — including humanitarian allotments — Musk officially announced on Monday that President Trump had signed off on his so-called cost-cutting measures involving the agency, immediately shutting down the office and reportedly instructing security officers to stop federal employees from entering the premises.

Not long before USAID's end, and in what appears to be the new strategy of the Trump administration, the agency's website was pulled. It now serves visitors with a notice that the server is unable to load. At the time, government employees and Democratic lawmakers expressed concern, as individuals were redirected to a State Department webpage merely summarizing USAID's work.


You May Also Like

Previously, the administration pulled websites for the shelved Office for Gun Violence Prevention and multiple pages making referencing to LGBTQ (specifically transgender) resources and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs.

A screenshot of a Google Chrome browser saying "The site can't be reached" for USAID.gov
Credit: Screenshot
Chase sits in front of a green framed window, wearing a cheetah print shirt and looking to her right. On the window's glass pane reads "Ricas's Tostadas" in red lettering.
Chase DiBenedetto
Social Good Reporter

Chase joined Mashable's Social Good team in 2020, covering online stories about digital activism, climate justice, accessibility, and media representation. Her work also captures how these conversations manifest in politics, popular culture, and fandom. Sometimes she's very funny.

Mashable Potato

Recommended For You
Former DOGE employees give an inside look at the Elon Musk-led agency
Elon Musk wearing a DOGE shirt

Elon Musk’s SpaceX acquires Elon Musk's xAI, including social media platform X
SpaceX, xAI, and Grok logos

X outage: Elon Musk's site is down, here's what we know
x logo on screen

Some Windows 11 PCs can’t shut down after latest update
Windows 11


Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone


What's new to streaming this week? (April 3, 2026)
A composite of images from film and TV streaming this week.

NYT Strands hints, answers for April 3, 2026
A game being played on a smartphone.
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!