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Kenya-Born Legislator Breaks Barriers in Minnesota

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Huldah Momanyi Hiltsley has become the first Kenya-born immigrant elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives. Her achievement, celebrated on November 5, marks a significant milestone not only for her own journey but also for the immigrant and African communities in Minnesota and beyond. Hiltsley describes her win as a testament to resilience, determination, and the pursuit of the American dream.

As she stood in the Minnesota State Capitol for the first time, preparing for orientation, Hiltsley expressed her gratitude and excitement for the opportunity to serve. “To be standing in this Capitol as an African immigrant woman is a tremendous honor. I’m just overexcited right now,” she said, emphasizing the significance of her accomplishment as a symbol of possibility.

Her journey to this moment, however, was not without challenges. Hiltsley’s path to citizenship was fraught with difficulties, including a long battle with the immigration system that nearly led to her family’s deportation. She credits much of her success to the community support she received and the efforts of the late U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone, whose advocacy helped secure her family’s residency and eventual citizenship. Reflecting on her achievement, Hiltsley noted, “Getting to this moment honestly is just a testament to the struggles that my family has gone through to be in this country.”

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Her story has captured the attention of both American and Kenyan media, with celebrations in her hometown of Nyamemiso, eight hours from Nairobi. Despite the recognition, Hiltsley remains grounded, attributing her success to her roots. “I’m that little girl from that little village in the middle of Kenya, and now I’m in the spotlight of this media frenzy. I’m still trying to really appreciate the magnitude of the moment,” she said.

Beyond her personal accomplishment, Hiltsley hopes her story will inspire others, particularly young girls in both Kenya and the United States. “If I can make it to this point, I can be a role model to somebody to remind them that our wildest dreams are possible,” she said.

Legislative Priorities and Community Vision

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As she steps into her new role representing Minnesota’s Legislative District 38A, Hiltsley has outlined key priorities that reflect her commitment to her community. She plans to focus on community-centered public safety initiatives, affordable housing, workers’ rights, and support for small businesses—many of which are run by African immigrants. Her objective is to empower her constituents by connecting them with resources and guiding them through navigating state systems.

“It is my job to go back to my community and tell them, ‘Hey, there are resources here. This is how this system works. Let’s work together to make sure that we are also taking a piece of the pie,’” she said.

Hiltsley is mindful of the weight her position carries as the first Kenyan-American woman in Minnesota’s Legislature. Viewing it as a responsibility to represent a growing, diverse constituency, she aims to make space for future immigrant leaders. “I don’t want to be the last,” she said, underscoring her hope that her election will inspire others to pursue public service. “This moment right here is a testimony that you can come to this country, work hard, and get to where you want to be.”

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To those who have faced setbacks in their own political pursuits, Hiltsley offers a message of perseverance: “Be consistent. Keep going. There’s enough space in this Legislature for more people of color, especially immigrants, because that’s the voice that is missing.”

Reflections on Politics and a Vision for Unity

As she prepares to serve in a rapidly changing political environment, Hiltsley remains focused on her constituents, regardless of partisan divisions. With the recent election of President-elect Donald Trump, she acknowledges that the political climate presents challenges, yet she emphasizes her commitment to bipartisan service. “We are here to serve the people, and it doesn’t matter if you are Democrat or Republican,” she said. “We are here as legislators to serve the people of Minnesota.”

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Her victory has resonated deeply with Kenyans who view her achievement as a shared triumph. Hiltsley’s message to her fellow Kenyans is one of unity and responsibility. “This is a historical moment, and I’m honored to be a Kenyan American,” she said. “Let’s continue celebrating this victory, but after that, we have work to do.”

Looking beyond Minnesota, Hiltsley aspires to foster connections between her adopted home and her country of birth. She expressed a desire to work with Kenyan leaders on issues of governance, including the need for stronger leadership and anti-corruption measures. “Kenya has unlimited potential,” she said. “It’s up to our leaders to do right by the people.”

As she prepares to take her seat officially on January 7, Hiltsley’s journey from a small Kenyan village to the halls of the Minnesota State Capitol stands as an inspiring testament to perseverance and the promise of opportunity. Her story embodies the values of both the American and Kenyan communities she represents, with a commitment to public service and a vision for empowering others to pursue their dreams.

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Commentary

Fall of the Caliphate: Puntland Delivers Crushing Blow to ISIS in Somalia

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After years of entrenchment, ISIS-Somalia’s last major bastion crumbles under Puntland’s offensive.

Puntland’s latest offensive in the Calmiskaad Mountains isn’t just a military success—it’s a symbolic decapitation of ISIS-Somalia’s regional ambitions. By seizing Togga Miraale, the crown jewel of ISIS’s mountain redoubts, Puntland security forces have dismantled what analysts long described as the terror group’s last command node in the region. The caliphate fantasy is over, at least in Puntland.

This wasn’t a victory won overnight. The month-long campaign through treacherous terrain and entrenched positions was a surgical war of attrition. ISIS fighters, once emboldened by their remote stronghold and a steady supply of weapons, were ground down. With captured stockpiles and dislodged militants, Puntland has dealt ISIS a blow from which it may never recover in northeastern Somalia.

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This is more than just a win for Puntland. It’s a pivotal shift in the asymmetric war against jihadist movements in the Horn. While Al-Shabaab remains a dominant threat further south, ISIS-Somalia’s collapse exposes the vulnerability of jihadist splinter factions when faced with sustained, locally-led counterterrorism backed by strategic intelligence.

Moreover, this win couldn’t come at a more geopolitically significant time. As Somalia reels from recent setbacks—including the fall of Aadan Yabaal to Al-Shabaab—Puntland’s success highlights a stark contrast in governance, security, and military capability. It sends a potent message: decentralized Somali regions like Puntland can, and will, defend their territory where the federal government has failed.

Regional players like the UAE and the U.S., both of whom quietly supported this operation with air surveillance and intel, are taking note. So should Mogadishu. As the Somali government continues to lose ground to terrorists in the south, Puntland’s battlefield dominance is not just a local triumph—it’s a rebuke of Somalia’s fragile security architecture.

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The caliphate in Somalia didn’t fall with fanfare—it collapsed under the pressure of a region that refused to yield. Puntland now owns the victory. And ISIS-Somalia? It’s a name soon to be remembered only in past tense.

Puntland Leadership Under Fire Over ISIS Threat

Somalia’s Jihadist Boom: The Islamic State Is Stronger, Richer, and More Deadly

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Minneapolis Man Charged with Supporting ISIS

Puntland Forces Hit Hard in Battle Against ISIS Stronghold

U.S. and UAE Joint Operation Kills 16 ISIS Militants in Puntland Stronghold

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Puntland Airstrikes Devastate ISIS Strongholds, Killing Over 30 Fighters

ISIS Deploys Advanced Drones to Escalate War in Puntland

Puntland Claims it Uncovered ISIS Treatment Sites, Business Links in Somaliland

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Telegram Shuts Down Key ISIS Propaganda Channel Amid Puntland Conflict

Puntland Forces Close in on ISIS Stronghold, Final Battle Nears

Puntland Seeks Global Aid to Crush ISIS Strongholds

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Puntland Forces Crush ISIS Strongholds in Togga Jaceel Offensive

Airstrike Wipes Out Foreign ISIS Fighters in Puntland

Puntland Clerics Rally Support for Military Offensive Against ISIS in Al-Miskaat Mountains

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Puntland Would be Happy to Host Gazan Refugees: Puntland Deputy Minister

In Puntland’s rugged mountains, ISIS builds a dangerous foothold

US AFRICOM Strikes ISIS Strongholds in Somalia

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Senior ISIS Commander Captured in Puntland as U.S. Airstrikes Cripple Somalia’s Jihadist Network

Puntland Cracks Down on Illegal Foreign Nationals Amid Extremism Concerns

ISIS Drone Attack Kills Puntland Soldier

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Landmine Explosion Kills 13 Puntland Soldiers in Counter-Terrorism Mission

Puntland Forces Strike Major Daesh Strongholds in Bari Region

Puntland Denies Amnesty to Foreign ISIS Fighters

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Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Deadly Puntland Military Base Attack in Somalia

Puntland Deputy Speaker Survives ISIS Attack Amid Rising Threat

Puntland Forces Uncover Major Weapons Cache, Arrest Al-Shabaab and ISIS Suspects in Bosaso

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Editor's Pick

Trump Derails Israeli Strike on Iran: Diplomatic Gamble or Strategic Blunder?

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Trump rejects Netanyahu’s war plan, pushes for nuclear talks with Tehran — as Israeli frustration boils.

In a dramatic Oval Office split, Trump shut down a joint Israeli-US strike on Iran’s nuclear sites, triggering outrage in Jerusalem. Is diplomacy a delay tactic—or disaster in the making?

President Donald Trump may have just triggered the biggest rift in US-Israel defense cooperation since the Obama years. According to a bombshell NYT report, Trump personally blocked a fully coordinated Israeli strike package on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure—just weeks before it was set to launch. Israel was prepped. US CENTCOM was involved. Commando units were shelved in favor of all-out bombing runs. But in the final hour, Trump torpedoed the plan and launched direct talks with Tehran instead.

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Sources say Netanyahu was blindsided. The visit to Washington, publicly framed around tariffs, quickly turned sour when Trump dropped the bombshell: no military support while diplomacy is on the table. Inside the Oval Office, the tension was visible. Outside, it was electric. Israeli officials saw betrayal. Netanyahu wanted a Libya-style disarmament. Trump? He’s chasing a legacy—an Iran deal to rival Obama’s failed JCPOA.

Back home, Israeli defense analysts are livid. “This was the moment,” one senior IDF figure told WARYATV. “We had operational superiority, regional support, and Iranian air defense already degraded. Now we’re talking again?” Meanwhile, Iran is stalling with a smile. The next round of nuclear talks resumes Saturday in Oman. Tehran already knows the game: negotiate, delay, enrich. By the time diplomacy fails, the uranium is already spinning.

Trump’s team is divided. Vance and Witkoff want to avoid war. Rubio and Waltz say it’s now or never. Meanwhile, Israel may be forced to go solo—and they’re watching those B-2s parked in Diego Garcia very closely.

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What’s clear? This isn’t just another missed opportunity. It’s a high-stakes gamble that could reshape the Middle East—for better or for catastrophe.

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Commentary

China Slaps Trump With Brutal Reality Check as Trade War Turns Global

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Chinese state media blasts Trump’s tariff war, accuses U.S. of freeloading on globalization while Xi strengthens Asian alliances.

China lashes out at Trump’s economic nationalism, accusing the U.S. of hypocrisy as global trade realigns. Rare earths, aircraft, and semiconductors are next in this economic war.

Beijing just turned up the heat—and made it personal.

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China Daily, the official mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, has delivered a scathing editorial aimed squarely at Donald Trump, telling him to “stop whining” and stop pretending the U.S. is a victim of global trade. “The U.S. is not getting ripped off by anybody,” it declared. “It has been taking a free ride on globalization for decades.”

The insult isn’t just rhetorical—it’s strategic. Trump’s aggressive tariff campaign, which now includes up to 145% duties on Chinese imports, has sparked the fiercest economic duel in decades. But China isn’t retreating. Instead, it’s choking U.S. exporters and fueling regional alliances that sideline Washington altogether.

Xi Jinping’s surprise regional tour, now overlapping with this tariff escalation, is no coincidence. Xi is quietly building what he calls a “strategic alliance of destiny” with Malaysia and ASEAN countries. Translation: Beijing is done playing by Trump’s rules. While the U.S. ratchets up tariffs and threatens new probes into semiconductors, pharma, and rare earths, China is reinforcing control of critical global supply chains.

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The stakes? Massive. The Hong Kong postal service just banned packages to the U.S., Boeing deals are stalling, and Chinese firms are moving supply lines away from American manufacturers. Rare earth export bans are already shaking markets, and Beijing’s shadow diplomacy is redrawing global trade corridors.

Trump says, “The ball is in China’s court.” But Beijing just spiked it—with force.

Bottom line: This is not just a trade war. It’s a global economic realignment. And China’s message to the world? America’s time as the global economic sheriff is over—and it has only itself to blame.

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Editor's Pick

After USAID Collapse, EU Can’t Fill the Void: Poor Nations Face a Humanitarian Blackout

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As Trump freezes $40B in foreign aid, Europe retreats too—fragile states brace for famine, failed states, and forgotten crises.

With USAID frozen and EU aid budgets slashed, NGOs warn of a coming storm. Displaced millions, collapsing health systems, and donor silence mark the next phase of global humanitarian collapse. 

What happens when the world’s biggest aid donors pack up and walk away? We’re about to find out.

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The U.S. withdrawal from international aid under Trump’s second term has already gutted dozens of life-saving programs, slashing $40 billion in funding in 90 days and sending shockwaves through NGOs like the Danish Refugee Council (DRC). But Europe isn’t rushing in to fix the fallout—it’s retreating too.

EU countries from Germany to France, Italy and Spain are scaling down their aid commitments, with Berlin alone axing €2.6 billion in just two years. The UK, once a flagship donor, is forecast to sink to a record-low 0.23% of GNI on aid by 2027. Humanitarian funding is collapsing just as global displacement is projected to hit nearly 130 million by 2026.

The result? A growing vacuum of care in conflict zones, climate disaster areas, and fragile states—places like Afghanistan, Sudan, Cameroon, where water, food, and medicine are now disappearing overnight.

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NGOs are bleeding out. The DRC alone has already laid off 1,400 staff and warned 2 million people will go unreached. In one stroke, internally displaced Afghans have lost access to clean water. Malnutrition efforts are collapsing. And minefields go uncleared in Colombia.

Even the EU’s much-hyped Global Gateway initiative—the answer to China’s Belt and Road—is too profit-driven to touch the most desperate places.

And while Western leaders posture about controlling migration, terrorism, and instability, they’re gutting the only tools that actually prevent it: resilience-building, gender rights, democracy support, and grassroots aid.

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The U.S. is leading this charge backwards, and the EU is not far behind. What’s being left behind isn’t just budget lines—it’s millions of lives on the brink.

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Editor's Pick

Shin Bet Chief to Quit Anyway—Even as Israel’s Supreme Court Says No

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Ronen Bar plans to resign despite top court order to stay, as Netanyahu faces rising backlash over intelligence failures and Qatari backchannel scandal.

Shin Bet head Ronen Bar defies Supreme Court order and prepares to resign amid political firestorm and probe into Netanyahu aides’ Qatari ties. Israel’s intelligence chaos deepens. 

In a bold defiance of Israel’s highest court, Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar is planning to walk away—court ruling or not.

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Despite the Supreme Court’s injunction demanding he stay in office until April 20, Bar has reportedly told close allies he’s done. The controversy around his post, he argues, is doing real harm to the agency’s core mission: intelligence and national security. That’s why, according to Channel 12, Bar will soon submit his resignation in writing, stating when he intends to leave, whether the government likes it or not.

But this isn’t just about one man leaving his post.

This is a political firestorm with national security consequences. Prime Minister Netanyahu moved to fire Bar weeks ago, citing “confidence issues.” But critics say the move reeks of political self-preservation. Shin Bet is currently investigating Netanyahu’s own aides over potential illicit ties to Qatar during sensitive diplomatic dealings—raising the specter of conflict of interest and interference.

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Observers believe Netanyahu is scapegoating Bar to deflect blame for the catastrophic intelligence failures that preceded October 7, 2023—the day Hamas launched its devastating assault. And with Bar resisting the optics of being the fall guy, Israel’s intelligence community is now caught in a dangerous limbo.

This is no longer just about an agency chief. This is about the integrity of Israel’s national security—and whether the rule of law still holds in a government spiraling toward crisis.

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Somalia Declares War with Words: Recognizes SSC-Khaatumo, Sparks Sovereignty Showdown with Somaliland

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Barre’s Las Anod visit escalates tensions as Mogadishu officially absorbs SSC-Khaatumo, redrawing the map and triggering a furious response from Hargeisa.

Somalia’s recognition of SSC-Khaatumo as a federal state ignites diplomatic warfare with Somaliland, which calls the move a blatant breach of sovereignty. 

What Somalia just did in Las Anod is nothing short of a diplomatic land grab.

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In a public ceremony staged in the heart of Somaliland-controlled Las Anod, Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre formally recognized SSC-Khaatumo as a federal member administration—a political act that Somaliland’s leadership considers a declaration of war.

“This is not a contested area,” Barre proclaimed, erasing decades of self-governance and territorial control exercised by Hargeisa. But behind the polished rhetoric lies a strategic offensive to reassert Somali federal power in the north—one backed by foreign defense deals, oil ambitions, and electoral manipulation.

SSC-Khaatumo’s leader Firdhiye, once a marginal actor, is now being handed a seat at the high-stakes National Consultative Council (NCC)—Mogadishu’s premier political forum. His inclusion signals Somalia’s intent to institutionalize the partitioning of Somaliland from within.

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Barre didn’t come empty-handed. He came with funding promises, construction blueprints, and federal flags—launching new buildings, police HQs, and ID centers. This isn’t development—it’s occupation by bureaucracy.

Somaliland responded with fury, calling the move a blatant violation of sovereignty. And they’re right to sound the alarm. Because if SSC-Khaatumo’s “recognition” is allowed to stand, then the map of Somaliland could be erased by decree—not by war.

But there’s a legal twist. Somalia’s own provisional constitution requires a structured vetting process, which SSC-Khaatumo has not completed. There’s been no parliamentary ratification, no public consultation, no legal framework—just political theatre in a city under dispute.

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The timing is no accident. Recognition of Somaliland is gaining steam internationally. This move is Somalia’s desperate attempt to block it—and to insert chaos into Hargeisa’s clearest shot at statehood in 30 years.

Barre’s visit to Las Anod wasn’t just political—it was tactical. Now Somaliland must decide: respond diplomatically—or prepare for a deeper confrontation.

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Somaliland’s Foreign Ministry Faces Fire Over Turkish Ties, Las Anod Silence

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Outrage erupts after Somaliland’s MFA entertains Turkish diplomats and fumbles response to Somalia PM’s Las Anod invasion—citizens demand answers, not excuses.
The Somaliland Ministry of Foreign Affairs is under fire after hosting Turkey’s ambassador and failing to deliver a clear response to Somalia’s Las Anod provocation. Public backlash explodes online.

What do you call a government that welcomes its enemy, excuses its occupier, and gaslights its own people? Somalilanders are asking just that.

After Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamse Barre walked unchallenged into Las Anod—deep in Somaliland territory—the Ministry of Foreign Affairs didn’t condemn it as an act of war. Instead, it hosted foreign diplomats for tea and soft words.

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And the public? Exploded.

A statement from the ministry’s Director General, claiming to have briefed diplomats on Somaliland’s “position,” triggered a wave of public fury. Comments flooded in within minutes. The message wasn’t defiance—it was defeat dressed in diplomacy.

“Why are you dealing with NGOs instead of international legal experts?”
“This was not a visit—it was a violation of sovereignty!”
“Turkey is Somaliland’s number one enemy—why are you welcoming them in Hargeisa?”

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The backlash is louder than ever. Somalilanders are done watching a weak MFA posture in the face of aggression. Many blasted the ministry’s engagement with Turkey, citing Ankara’s recent military agreements with Mogadishu, its support for drone strikes, and its outright refusal to acknowledge Somaliland passports.

It wasn’t just symbolic—the Turkish Ambassador to Somalia was received in Hargeisa. A man whose title literally erases Somaliland’s existence. Citizens are now calling for the closure of the Turkish consulate, the expulsion of Turkish officials, and a complete freeze in trade with Ankara.

Meanwhile, the ministry’s own credibility is in shambles. Earlier promises that the U.S. would stop Hamse’s trip? Never happened. Contradictory messaging and confusion over diplomatic status of ambassadors in Mogadishu? Still unresolved.

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A senior Somaliland diplomat, writing on WARYATV, didn’t mince words:

“Turkey isn’t a neutral partner. It’s a declared enemy. Somaliland is being treated with disrespect, and this ministry is asleep.”

The people are angry, and the MFA is on trial—digitally, politically, and diplomatically. If Somaliland wants recognition, it needs more than polished statements. It needs courage, strategy, and unshakable clarity.

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Because in the battle for sovereignty, words matter—and silence is betrayal.

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Editor's Pick

Elon Musk’s Chainsaw Diplomacy: The Misguided Wrecking Ball at USAID

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Tibor Nagy slams Musk’s chaos-first reforms, warns that gutting USAID risks U.S. diplomacy, credibility, and global influence.

Former top U.S. diplomat Tibor Nagy blasts Elon Musk’s abrupt shutdown of USAID as reckless “chainsaw” policy that hurt diplomacy, endangered lives, and delighted America’s enemies.

Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) isn’t reforming America’s foreign policy machinery—it’s dismantling it with a flamethrower. And few know that better than Ambassador Tibor Nagy, the veteran diplomat who returned to the U.S. State Department just in time to watch Musk’s bureaucratic arson gut USAID, America’s global aid engine, overnight.

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Instead of reform, we got a reckless, performative purge. Musk’s infamous tweet—“spent the weekend feeding USAID into the woodchipper”—wasn’t satire. It was policy. What followed was pandemonium: tens of thousands of aid workers stranded, contracts torched, food shipments halted, and emergency programs thrown into limbo. And for what? To satisfy a tech billionaire’s warped fantasy of government “efficiency” by humiliation and demolition.

Let’s be blunt: USAID has issues—bloated project pipelines, tangled chains of command, mixed priorities between diplomacy and development. But it also saves millions of lives, responds to famines and disasters, and builds long-term goodwill in fragile regions. It is not a place for “creative destruction”—it is the thin line between chaos and order in much of the world.

The collapse hit hardest in places like West Texas, where humanitarian logistics provider Breedlove found itself paralyzed. This wasn’t just a foreign affair—it was a domestic crisis too. Farmers, freight firms, contractors, and communities reliant on USAID’s global humanitarian machine were blindsided. Only after chaos erupted did State Department leadership step in to reanimate the programs Musk had gleefully killed.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio is now left flying blind, trying to project American leadership while the diplomatic engine is in pieces. As Nagy wryly notes, it’s not so much “flying while the engine is on fire” as rebuilding the engine midair during a nosedive.

Let’s be clear: America can’t afford Musk’s reckless improvisation in diplomacy. The world sees it as instability, unseriousness, and abandonment. Our adversaries—from Beijing to Mogadishu—see it as opportunity.

Reform is necessary. But it must be surgical, not suicidal. Strategic, not symbolic. And above all, it must serve U.S. interests, not viral tweets.

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