How an Estimated Seven Hundred Thousand People Have Died from DOGE’s U.S.A.I.D. Cuts

The dismantling of USAID by the Department of Government Efficiency has triggered a severe humanitarian crisis, with estimates indicating hundreds of thousands of deaths that could escalate into the millions. Former USAID Assistant Administrator for Global Health Atul Gawande reports that the sudden termination of programs—ranging from malnutrition support and vaccine distribution to HIV and tuberculosis treatment—has decimated essential health infrastructure. In regions like South Sudan, the loss of these services has already caused a tenfold increase in mortality. While the administration frames these cuts as efficiency measures, the reality is a collapse of life-saving operations that previously fostered global stability and trade. This shift toward a confrontational, "dominator" geopolitical strategy abandons decades of U.S. investment in global health, leaving vulnerable populations without aid and undermining the long-term security benefits of international cooperation.