Press Sec on INSANE USAID: $1.5M to DEI in Serbia …Peru; Ilhan Omar: beginning of dictatorship

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt detailed specific USAID spending categories she described as “insane” — programs documenting the types of expenditures the Trump administration was targeting through Elon Musk’s DOGE effort. Leavitt cited: “$1.5 million to advance DEI in Serbia’s workplaces, $70,000 for a production of a DEI musical in Ireland, $47,000 for a transgender opera in Colombia, $32,000 for a transgender comic book in Peru.” Leavitt’s framework: “I don’t know about you, but as an American taxpayer I don’t want my dollars going towards this crap. And I know the American people don’t either.” The video also features Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) invoking constitutional crisis framework: “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 dictatorship looks like when you gut the Constitution and you install yourself as the sole power.” Omar invoked Congressional power of the purse: “We get to decide where money is allocated.” President Trump commented on USAID: “It’s been run by a bunch of radical lunatics and we’re getting them out … and then we’ll make a decision.” Trump separately addressed South Africa aid cuts — “It’s only South Africa, terrible things are happening in South Africa. The leadership is doing some terrible things, horrible things.” Trump accused the South African government: “They’re taking away land, they’re confiscating land, and actually they’re doing things that are perhaps far worse than that.” Trump on USAID concept: “I love the concept, but they turn out to be radical left lunatics, and the concept of it is good, but it’s all about the people.”

Insane Priorities

“Through USAID over the past several years. These are some of the insane priorities that that organization has been spending money on.”

Press Secretary Leavitt’s framework:

• Several years framework
• Insane priorities framework
• Organization spending
• Systematic pattern
• Public exposure

The USAID framework:

• Annual budget ~$40 billion
• Various programs globally
• Multiple sectors
• Many recipients
• Complex framework

Specific Examples

“$1.5 million to advance DEI in Serbia’s workplaces. $70,000 for a production of a DEI musical in Ireland. $47,000 for a transgender opera in Colombia. $32,000 for a transgender comic book in Peru.”

Leavitt’s specific framework:

• $1.5M DEI Serbia workplaces
• $70,000 DEI musical Ireland
• $47,000 transgender opera Colombia
• $32,000 transgender comic book Peru
• Four concrete examples

The Serbia DEI program:

• Workplace diversity training
• US taxpayer funded
• Serbian companies
• Cultural framework export
• Criticized framework

The Ireland DEI musical:

• Production funding
• Artistic framework
• DEI content
• Foreign cultural production
• Questionable priority

The Colombia transgender opera:

• Artistic production
• LGBTQ themes
• Foreign art funded
• American taxpayer cost
• Cultural programming

The Peru transgender comic book:

• Print media
• Children/youth framework possible
• LGBTQ content
• Foreign distribution
• US funding

American Taxpayer Framework

“I don’t know about you, but as an American taxpayer I don’t want my dollars going towards this crap. And I know the American people don’t either.”

Leavitt’s framework:

• Personal taxpayer framework
• Don’t want funding
• “Crap” characterization
• American people alignment
• Common sense framework

The American taxpayer framework:

• Direct personal stake
• Concrete examples
• Political resonance
• Popular support
• Reform rationale

Musk DOGE Task

“And that’s exactly what Elon Musk has been tasked by President Trump to do to get the fraud, waste and abuse out of our federal government.”

Leavitt’s framework:

• Musk tasked by Trump
• Fraud target
• Waste target
• Abuse target
• Government-wide framework

The DOGE mission:

• Department of Government Efficiency
• Musk leading
• Technologist team
• Waste identification
• Reform framework

Trump Love Concept

“I love the concept of it. Sure, I love the concept, but they turn out to be radical left lunatics and the concept of it is good, but it’s all about the people.”

Trump’s framework:

• Concept loved
• Foreign aid concept good
• People problematic
• “Radical left lunatics” characterization
• Reform not elimination

The concept-people distinction:

• Foreign aid important
• Soft power framework
• Strategic tool
• Personnel corrupt
• People replacement

Ilhan Omar Constitutional Crisis

“We are witnessing a constitutional crisis. We talked about Trump wanting to be a dictator on day one and here we are.”

Representative Ilhan Omar:

• Minnesota Democrat
• Squad member
• Progressive voice
• USAID defender
• Trump critic

The constitutional crisis framework:

• Crisis characterization
• Day one dictator reference
• Trump framework
• Democrat alarm
• Institutional concern

Beginning of Dictatorship

“This is what the beginning of dictatorship looks like when you gut the Constitution and you install yourself as the sole power that is how dictators are made.”

Omar’s framework:

• Beginning of dictatorship
• Constitution gutted
• Sole power framework
• Dictator creation
• Dark framework

The Omar framework:

• Strong language
• Political framework
• Democratic alarm
• Institutional threat
• Opposition messaging

Power of the Purse

“What Trump and Elon and all of their cronies are trying to do is take away the constitutional power of Congress. We get to decide we have the power of the purse. We get to decide where money is allocated.”

Omar’s framework:

• Trump, Musk, cronies
• Congressional power threatened
• Power of purse
• Money allocation
• Congressional responsibility

The constitutional framework:

• Article I appropriations
• Congressional authority
• Executive implementation
• Trump DOGE framework
• Separation of powers

Executive Power

“And it’s the executives power to make sure that that money gets to where it needs to get.”

Omar’s framework:

• Executive implementation
• Congress allocates
• Executive delivers
• Separation respected
• Constitutional framework

The framework:

• Constitutional original
• Trump overreach alleged
• Impoundment concern
• Executive power limit
• Legal framework

Civil Servants

“When we talk about civil servants being let go what we are talking about is not saving money is essentially saying they can get paid while they’re home and their work doesn’t get done on behalf of the American people.”

Omar’s framework:

• Civil servants (buyout)
• Not saving money
• Paid while home
• Work not done
• Taxpayer harm

The buyout framework (Omar view):

• Federal workers accepted buyout
• Paid through September 2026
• Not performing work
• Taxpayer expense
• Counterproductive

Taxpayers Ripped Off

“It is us taxpayers who are being ripped off. It is us taxpayers who are not getting the resources that we paid into.”

Omar’s framework:

• Taxpayers ripped off
• Resources not delivered
• Paid but not receiving
• Consumer framework
• Harm framework

The counter-framework:

• Leavitt: Reform saving money
• Omar: Buyout waste
• Debate framework
• Perspective difference
• Political framework

Trump Confirmation

“Mr. President, what’s going on? Well, it’s been run by a bunch of radical lunatics and we’re getting them out USAID run by radical lunatics and we’re getting them out and then we’ll make a decision.”

Trump’s framework:

• Radical lunatics (twice)
• Getting them out
• Personnel first
• Decision later
• Structure open

The USAID framework:

• Agency review ongoing
• Personnel actions proceeding
• Structure questioned
• Merger with State possible
• Dissolution discussed

South Africa Aid

“On pre-social you said that you were going to cut aid from South Africa. What you planned to cut aid across other African nations and why South Africa?”

The reporter framework:

• Truth Social post
• South Africa aid cut
• Other African nations
• Rationale requested
• Policy clarification

Only South Africa

“It’s only South Africa. Terrible things are happening in South Africa. The leadership is doing some terrible things, horrible things.”

Trump’s framework:

• Only South Africa (specifically)
• Terrible things happening
• Leadership issues
• Horrible framework
• Targeted framework

Under Investigation

“So if that’s under investigation right now we’ll make a determination. And until such time as we find out what South Africa is doing.”

Trump’s framework:

• Under investigation
• Determination pending
• Finding out facts
• Policy contingent
• Review framework

Taking Away Land

“They’re taking away land, they’re confiscating land. And actually they’re doing things that are perhaps far worse than that.”

Trump’s framework:

• Land taking
• Land confiscation
• Far worse framework
• Additional concerns
• Situation grave

The South Africa land framework:

• Expropriation without compensation
• Constitutional amendment 2024
• White farmer concerns
• Agricultural impact
• Political framework

The broader concerns:

• Anti-Israel ICJ case
• Chinese BRICS alignment
• Anti-Western framework
• Various concerns
• Strategic issues

USAID Reform Context

The USAID reform framework:

Trump administration view:

• Agency bloated
• Political direction ignored
• Waste widespread
• Personnel problematic
• Reform essential

Critic view:

• Essential soft power
• Development expertise
• Humanitarian work
• Global stability
• Program value

The reform approach:

• Personnel cuts
• Program elimination
• Structure merger (State Department)
• Rubio leadership
• DOGE review

The Constitutional Debate

The Article I appropriations framework:

Omar argument:

• Congress allocates
• Executive implements
• Impoundment prohibited
• Constitutional violation
• Power usurpation

Trump argument:

• Executive discretion
• Waste elimination
• Management prerogative
• Congressional will respected broadly
• Efficiency framework

The 1974 Impoundment Control Act:

• Nixon-era framework
• Executive limitations
• Congressional notification
• Court interpretations
• Current relevance

DOGE Impact

The DOGE findings pattern:

USAID specifically:

• DEI programs
• LGBTQ international programs
• Humanitarian/political programs
• Various controversial
• Political framework

Other agencies:

• Education Department
• HHS programs
• Various departments
• Government-wide framework
• Systematic review

The reform approach:

• Specific program cuts
• Personnel actions
• Agency reviews
• Congressional reporting
• Political framework

Significance

The video captured:

1. USAID DEI examples: $1.5M Serbia, $70K Ireland, $47K Colombia, $32K Peru
2. Musk DOGE framework: Fraud, waste, abuse target
3. Trump concept-people distinction: Reform not elimination
4. Omar constitutional crisis: Dictator framework
5. Power of purse debate: Congressional authority
6. South Africa aid: Land confiscation concern
7. Trump radical lunatics: USAID personnel characterization

The specific USAID examples — DEI Serbia, transgender opera, transgender comic — provided concrete political targets. Not abstract waste but specific programs questionable to most Americans.

Omar’s constitutional crisis framework represented Democrat response. Strong language, dictator framework, power of purse — political opposition frame.

Trump’s “concept-people” distinction showed nuance. Foreign aid concept supported, implementation criticized — reform framework not elimination entirely.

The South Africa framework captured specific diplomatic priority. Not general Africa cuts but targeted South Africa action — land expropriation prime concern.

Key Takeaways

• Leavitt on USAID examples: “$1.5 million to advance DEI in Serbia’s workplaces. $70,000 for a production of a DEI musical in Ireland. $47,000 for a transgender opera in Colombia. $32,000 for a transgender comic book in Peru. I don’t know about you, but as an American taxpayer I don’t want my dollars going towards this crap.”
• Trump on USAID concept: “I love the concept of it. Sure, I love the concept, but they turn out to be radical left lunatics and the concept of it is good, but it’s all about the people. It’s been run by a bunch of radical lunatics and we’re getting them out USAID run by radical lunatics and we’re getting them out and then we’ll make a decision.”
• Omar on constitutional crisis: “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 dictatorship looks like when you gut the Constitution and you install yourself as the sole power that is how dictators are made.”
• Omar on power of purse: “What Trump and Elon and all of their cronies are trying to do is take away the constitutional power of Congress. We get to decide we have the power of the purse. We get to decide where money is allocated. It is us taxpayers who are being ripped off.”
• Trump on South Africa: “It’s only South Africa. Terrible things are happening in South Africa. The leadership is doing some terrible things, horrible things. They’re taking away land, they’re confiscating land. And actually they’re doing things that are perhaps far worse than that.”