Joni Ernst celebrates gutting of USAID after complaining that it was understaffed

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) on Wednesday celebrated the mass firing of USAID employees, despite previously complaining that the agency was understaffed.

The Trump administration placed nearly all USAID employees on administrative leave on Feb. 4. The agency, which provides humanitarian aid to foreign nations, was targeted by billionaire Elon Musk in his push to slash federal spending.

“There are programs in USAID that are worthy of keeping,” Ernst told Fox Business, “however, we have seen such complacency in oversight and direction from USAID, sometimes it takes a sledgehammer. That’s exactly what Elon Musk is doing. He is going in, he is dismantling it.”

Ernst added that USAID programs that “benefit Americans” would be “rebuilt” within the State Department. An Ernst spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions about how this would be done.

This is a reversal for Ernst: in May 2022, she voted to boost the agency’s budget by $8 billion to provide emergency relief to war-torn Ukraine. Two months later, Ernst sent a letter questioning why USAID had distributed only 60% of the funds and urged the agency to adjust its structure to accelerate the remaining disbursement.

In October 2022, USAID told Ernst that it would prioritize hiring to address the delay. Ernst celebrated the announcement in a social media post.

“USAID has been understaffed & their humanitarian efforts have not kept pace with their rapid surge in funding,” Ernst wrote. “I voiced my concerns & am pleased to announce USAID has agreed to address their staffing shortages.”

Musk was authorized by the White House to identify potential cuts in the federal budget. His team seized control of USAID’s internal computer systems last week. On Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that USAID would be restructured. The firings were announced a few hours later.

It is not clear if Musk has the legal authority to pursue these actions. USAID employees are reportedly planning to challenge the decisions in court.

The Washington Post reported that the USAID’s gutting instantly imperiled food assistance programs in Kenya and Sudan.

Ernst is running for reelection in 2026.