Top Dem strategists warn USAID funding fight is a ‘trap’ for the party

Democratic strategists warned pushing backmost connected President Donald Trump’s anti-bureaucracy efforts could beryllium a "monster miscalculation" successful the president’s favor.

Several Democratic politicians person attacked Trump and billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk for announcing plans to chopped backing to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). 

Though the contented has reignited the "resistance" broadside of the party, some Democrats told Politico connected Tuesday that they had "strategic reservations" astir attacking spending cuts and whether they could beryllium "walking into a trap."

"My bosom is with the radical retired connected the thoroughfare extracurricular USAID, but my caput tells me: ‘Man, Trump volition beryllium good satisfied to person this fight,’" said seasoned strategist David Axelrod. "When you speech astir cuts, the archetypal happening radical accidental is: Cut overseas aid."

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President Donald Trump has been supporting ways to standard backmost the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).  (Flag: Photo by J. David Ake/Getty Images / Trump: Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Former U.S. ambassador, Chicago politician and Obama White House main of unit Rahm Emanuel besides criticized Democrats’ aggravated absorption connected USAID backing arsenic opposed to respective different much fashionable issues.

"You don’t combat each fight. You don’t plaything astatine each pitch. And my presumption is — portion I attraction astir the USAID arsenic a erstwhile ambassador — that’s not the elevation I’m going to dice on," Emanuel said.

Several Democratic lawmakers protested Trump and Musk’s efforts to dismantle the overseas assistance bureau astatine an lawsuit extracurricular the USAID gathering successful Washington, D.C. connected Monday. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., made immoderate of the astir inflammatory comments, accusing Trump of starting a dictatorship.

"It is simply a really, truly bittersweet time successful America. We are witnessing a law crisis," Omar said. "We talked astir Trump wanting to beryllium a dictator connected time one. And present we are. This is what the opening of dictatorship looks similar erstwhile you gut the Constitution, and you instal yourself arsenic the sole power. That is however dictators are made."

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Rep. Ilhan Omar calls retired President Trump and Elon Musk for their handling of USAID portion besides accusing the president of moving a dictatorship. (Pool)

Despite Omar’s enthusiasm, some Axelrod and Emanuel warned however "voters could simply tune them out" if Democrats travel retired against each contented posed by Trump.

Defending an bureau similar USAID, Axelrod feared, could exacerbate the party’s increasing representation arsenic a "party of elite institutions."

"Part of the occupation for the Democratic Party is that it has go a stalwart defender of institutions astatine a clip erstwhile radical are enraged astatine institutions," Axelrod said. "And they go — successful the minds of a batch of voters — an elite party, and to a batch of folks who are trying to scuffle retired determination and get along, this volition look similar an elite passion."

Instead, Emanuel suggested the enactment absorption connected issues beyond what the "coastal Democrats" like.

"A 3rd of the eighth graders can’t work ... and present helium wants to adjacent the Department of Education?" Emanuel said. "I’m for USAID, but that makes your coastal Democrats really, truly comfy astir our motivation principles. I attraction astir the kids who can’t read."

Democratic strategists warned that defending USAID could beryllium seen arsenic an "elite" issue. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Politico’s nonfiction followed different captious study from the Wall Street Journal that revealed Democrats person been struggling to specify themselves since the 2024 election.

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"Twenty large cities, Aspen and Martha’s Vineyard—that’s what’s near of the Democratic Party," erstwhile legislature campaigner Adam Frisch said. "And I’m not precisely definite those 20 large cities are getting the champion mentation of the Democratic Party."