What was the purpose of USAID?

# Stuff You Should Know: USAID

Josh and Chuck dive deep into the history, successes, and controversies of USAID—the U.S. Agency for International Development—right as it's being abolished and absorbed into the State Department. They explore how President Kennedy created this Cold War soft power tool in 1961, trace its massive achievements like eradicating smallpox and saving millions from AIDS and malaria, and honestly examine its failures including mismanaged billion-dollar contracts and enabling corruption in places like Afghanistan. The guys discuss whether this tiny slice of the federal budget (less than 1%) is actually worth the investment, why Americans wildly overestimate how much we spend on foreign aid, and what it might mean for global democracy and U.S. influence if we're ceding this ground to China.