Democratic lawmakers blocked from USAID headquarters as they protest agency's potential shutdown

WASHINGTON

A group of Senate and House Democrats were blocked from entering the headquarters of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) on Monday as they protested efforts by President Donald Trump’s administration to dismantle it.

The lawmakers, led by Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, were denied entry by security officials at the building in Washington, DC.

"Trying to shut down the Agency for International Development by executive order is plain illegal," Van Hollen said in front of the USAID building. "This is a clear violation of our law"

Representative Ilhan Omar echoed the concern.

“We are witnessing a constitutional crisis. We talked about Trump wanting to be a dictator on day one—and here we are. This is what the beginning of a dictatorship looks like,” she said.

The protest came after billionaire Elon Musk claimed that Trump had agreed to shut down the aid agency.

Two top security officials at USAID were reportedly placed on administrative leave after refusing to grant access to personnel from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a newly created office under Musk’s oversight.

Around 60 senior USAID officials were reportedly placed on leave last week over allegations that they attempted to bypass Trump's executive order to pause foreign aid.

Asked about the issue, Trump called the USAID staff "radical left lunatics."

"I love the concept, but they turned out to be radical left lunatics. And the concept of it is good, but it's all about the people," he said.