The Demise of U.S.A.I.D. — and American Soft Power
The Daily
02/11/25
•33m
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Warning: This episode contains strong language.
As President Trump demolishes the government’s biggest provider of foreign aid, the United States Agency for International Development, he is ending a 60-year bipartisan consensus about the best way to keep America safe from its enemies.
Michael Crowley, who covers U.S. foreign policy, and Stephanie Nolen, a global health reporter for The New York Times, discuss the rise and fall of U.S.A.I.D. — and American soft power.
Guests: Michael Crowley, a reporter covering the State Department and U.S. foreign policy for The New York Times; and Stephanie Nolen, a global health reporter for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- With his aid cutoff, President Trump has halted U.S.A.I.D.’s legacy of “acting with humanity.”
- The agency’s workers are braced for the worst.
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Photo: Safin Hamid/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Previous Episode
China Seems Unstoppable. Trump Thinks Otherwise.
February 10, 2025
•27m
Over the past week, President Trump avoided a trade war with Canada and Mexico. But he escalated a trade war with China.
His reasoning? China has become more powerful in domestic manufacturing than the United States, Japan, Germany, South Korea and Britain combined.
Keith Bradsher, the Beijing bureau chief for The New York Times, explains why China’s dominance as a trading partner has become a threat to Trump’s agenda — and asks whether America will ever be able to catch up.
Guests: Keith Bradsher, the Beijing bureau chief for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- For China, President Trump’s moves bring pain, but also potential gains.
- China’s trade surplus has reached a record level: nearly $1 trillion.
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Photo: Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Next Episode
A Constitutional Crisis
February 12, 2025
•26m
As President Trump issues executive orders that encroach on the powers of Congress — and in some cases fly in the face of established law — a debate has begun about whether he’s merely testing the boundaries of his power or triggering a full-blown constitutional crisis.
Adam Liptak, who covers the Supreme Court for The Times, walks us through the debate.
Guests: Adam Liptak, who covers the Supreme Court and writes Sidebar, a column on legal developments, for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- President Trump’s actions have created a constitutional crisis, scholars say.
- Sidebar: Is Trump’s plan to end birthright citizenship “Dred Scott II”?
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Photo: National Archives, via Associated Press
Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
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