A year on from the purge, with thousands of jobs cut and billions in foreign aid lost, a former leader reflects on the sorry saga – and why it would never happen to Nasa

A year has passed since I and thousands of colleagues lost our jobs at USAID. Asking myself “Why us?” I have come to the conclusion that the American public had very little idea of what we were doing and why.

Doge, the “department of government efficiency”, began its work in January 2025, with USAID as its first target, in a reckless campaign that even Elon Musk has said he would not repeat. At that moment of chaos, Americans lacked the knowledge that could contradict the false narrative presented by Musk, who called the agency a “criminal organisation” and “a viper’s nest of radical left-marxists who hate America”.

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© Photograph: Drew Angerer/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Drew Angerer/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Drew Angerer/AFP/Getty Images

We must be honest about the seriousness of the situation we’re in.

© Photo Illustration by Alma Haser for The New York Times

The president was asked about Democratic candidates who want to use Medicare to provide universal access to health care — and he said his approach to have confidential drug pricing deals was superior.

The president said nine more pharmaceutical companies would sell their drugs to state Medicaid programs at discounts under his so-called "most favored nation" pricing system.