Trump vs USAID: The Rise and Fall of America’s Aid Empire...

What this episode covers

On the first anniversary of the dismantling of USAID, the United States Agency for International Development, Thomas and Aimen trace the history of the organisation and ask whether USAID’s collapse represents a failure of liberal internationalism itself, or simply the end of one particular way of organizing American power in the world. They discuss: Trump’s 2025 executive order and the effective end of USAID USAID, anti-communism, and the CIA The Clinton-era debate over whether USAID should survive at all USAID in the War on Terror: Iraq, Afghanistan, and counterinsurgency The Arab Spring and the shift toward NGO-mediated governance Corruption in USAID What the end of USAID tells us about the end of the unipolar era Join the Conflicted Community here: https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm/ Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MHconflicted And Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MHconflicted And Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conflictedpod And YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ConflictedYoutube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Conflicted is a Message Heard production. Executive Producers: Jake Warren & Max Warren. Produced by Thomas Small and edited by Lizzy Andrews. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

Are Latter Day Saints Colonizers? w/Zander Sturgill

Jun 15, 2026 ·76m

Author Meagan Skidmore: How Parenting a Transgender Child Changed My Perspective

Jun 10, 2026 ·52m

Melissa Mason- Cracking the Cosmic Egg Through Travel

Jun 3, 2026 ·69m

Come to Italy with McArthur and Amy Watkins Jensen

May 28, 2026 ·24m

Michael Duffin Advocates for Feds

May 26, 2026 ·46m

FROM CRISIS TO HARMONY w/Melanie and Casey

May 20, 2026 ·70m

Similar Podcasts

The State of State Schools John Stamper The State of State Schools podcast explores the most important topics and resources in education from a Christian perspective. The goal is to help teachers, parents, and families stay up-to-speed on what's going on in public schools, private schools, and home education. John Stamper is a former homeschooler, former public school teacher, and author of the books "Courage to Stand: Profiles of Enduring Faith" and "Conflicted: Pulling Back the Curtain on Public Education." His homeschool background, coupled with his experience teaching in the nation’s third largest public school system, provide a unique perspective on education that parents and teachers will want to hear.Website: johnstamper.orgTwitter: @thesosspodcastInstagram: thestateofstateschoolsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9PXMwAv4_RcVXknCBY1BfyhsuPCa Classy with Jonathan Menjivar Pineapple Street Studios and Audacy *** Named one of the best podcasts of 2023 by The New Yorker, Time, The Atlantic, Apple, Vogue, the CBC, and Lifehacker. ***Classy is a collection of surprising stories, juicy and uncomfortable interviews, and engaging segments that explore the ways that class infiltrates our day-to-day lives. In the host seat is Jonathan Menjivar – a working-class Latino kid who started working in media and became someone who likes oysters, wears cashmere socks, and is very conflicted about all of it. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë Lina Wuthering Heights is a haunting tale of obsessive passion and destructive revenge set against the bleak Yorkshire moors. The story follows the turbulent lives of Heathcliff, a brooding and vengeful foundling, and Catherine Earnshaw, whose deep, conflicted love sparks a relentless cycle of cruelty. Their turbulent relationship affects two generations, intertwining the fates of the Earnshaw and Linton families. Through raw emotions and bitter conflicts, Emily Brontë explores the destructive power of love, social class, and the relentless grip of revenge. Ultimately, tragedy and redemption intertwine, challenging destiny. Summary by Lina Forking Off Forking Off A podcast by former feds who got the fork out of government service. In 2025, hosts and former FBI intelligence analysts Jill and Philip Fields joined the exodus of public servants leaving federal service under the deferred resignation program. Conflicted over what to do next, they began encountering other recently departed feds fighting to find their voice.They started Forking Off as a platform to lift them up, preserve the public record, and document the destruction of American governance. Join us the last Tuesday of every month as we share their stories.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of CONFLICTED?

This episode is 54 minutes long.

When was this CONFLICTED episode published?

This episode was published on January 20, 2026.

What is this episode about?

On the first anniversary of the dismantling of USAID, the United States Agency for International Development, Thomas and Aimen trace the history of the organisation and ask whether USAID’s collapse represents a failure of liberal internationalism...

Can I download this CONFLICTED episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.