After a public outcry, Democrats are finally standing up to Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s attempted shutdown of the federal agency overseeing foreign aid, USAID.
Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, announced Monday that he is placing a “blanket hold” on all of Trump’s nominees for the State Department.
Schatz, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, said his move comes in response to Trump’s declaration—backed by his billionaire confidant Elon Musk—that they would shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), a federal agency that provides humanitarian aid worldwide.
“Dismantling USAID is illegal and makes us less safe. USAID was created by federal law and is funded by Congress. Donald Trump and Elon Musk can’t just wish it away with a stroke of a pen — they need to pass a law,” Schatz said in a statement.
Schatz made clear that until USAID is fully operational again, he will hold up all of Trump’s State Department nominees, calling the decision to gut the agency “self-inflicted chaos of epic proportions that will have dangerous consequences all around the world.”
This move throws a wrench into Trump’s attempts to quickly install loyalists into key diplomatic positions. By placing a hold, Schatz can force Senate Republicans to expend time and energy overcoming procedural hurdles, delaying confirmations and obstructing Trump’s broader agenda.
While Republicans control the Senate with 53 votes, meaning Democrats cannot outright block nominees, they can slow the process considerably, forcing GOP leaders to spend time navigating holds instead of focusing on other priorities.
Trump’s decision to dismantle USAID is widely seen as another step in his efforts to consolidate power and undermine democratic institutions. The agency, which has long played a role in stabilizing regions through humanitarian aid, has been targeted by the administration as part of its broader attack on international cooperation and diplomacy.
