Reports from the New York Times and Axios show that Elon Musk's decision to take a wrecking ball to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has won him applause from foreign dictators who are hostile to American interests.
In fact, Musk's attack on USAID has been met with cheers from countries including Russia and Iran, two nations that have been historically opposed to the United States.
"Iran's government has seemingly welcomed the agency's overhaul and freezing U.S. foreign aid, with state media reports suggesting the moves will cut off support pro-democracy activists," writes Axios.
As for Russia, the Times reports that Russia official Dmitry Medvedev gushed that Musk was making a "smart move" by targeting USAID, which the Kremlin has long criticized for promoting democracy in foreign nations.
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The destruction of American soft power could also be a big win for nations such as China, which could rush in to fill the void left by American aid in African countries in exchange for greater access to their resources.
“Trump’s administration and Musk’s actions have created significant opportunities for China and other authoritarian regimes,” Li Qiang, the founder of anti-human trafficking organization China Labor Watch, tells the Times. "The U.S. reduction in foreign aid and focus on economic development is essentially mimicking China’s successful model: prioritizing economic growth while neglecting human rights, environmental protection, and labor rights."