US politics live: Donald Trump’s USAID clear-out begins today

The Trump administration is pushing forward with its aggressive plan to cut government spending, with “virtually the entirety” of a department getting cleared out.

Hello and welcome to another week in our live coverage of US politics, with all its mounting global implications.

The man set to become Germany’s new chancellor after his victory in the country’s election has issued a blunt message to the Trump administration, arguing Europe should move swiftly to detach itself from the United States.

Friedrich Merz, leader of the centre-right Christian Democrats in Germany, won the election over the far-right AfD, which was supported by both Elon Musk and, more implicitly, by US Vice President J.D. Vance.

Unlike the AfD, which has a history of pro-Russian stances, Mr Merz is a firm supporter of Ukraine in the ongoing war.

“I have no illusions at all about what is happening in America,” he told German TV as the election results were rolling in.

“I would never have thought I would have to say something like this on television. But after last week’s comments from Donald Trump, it is clear that the Americans - or at least this part of the Americans, this administration - are largely indifferent to the fate of Europe.”

Mr Merz suggested Europe should “establish an independent defence capability much more quickly” than it may have previously planned.

And he suggested Mr Musk’s attempts to intervene in German politics, to boost the AfD, were “no less dramatic and drastic and ultimately outrageous” than past interference by Russia.

Mr Merz will need to form a coalition with other parties, likely of the left and centre-left. All of Germany’s other parties have pledged not to work with the AfD.

The presumptive new German chancellor, Friedrich Merz. Picture: Andreas Gora/Getty

Now, to some extent, Mr Trump could claim a victory here. Since entering politics he has repeatedly accused Europe of freeloading, essentially, off the US when it comes to defence. And not without good reason. Many European countries have fallen short of their defence spending commitments.

Indeed, come to think of it, he has claimed victory. Not quite in those terms though.

“LOOKS LIKE THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY IN GERMANY HAS WON THE VERY BIG AND HIGHLY ANTICIPATED ELECTION,” Mr Trump wrote on social media.

“MUCH LIKE THE USA, THE PEOPLE OF GERMANY GOT TIRED OF THE NO COMMON SENSE AGENDA, ESPECIALLY ON ENERGY AND IMMIGRATION, THAT HAS PREVAILED FOR SO MANY YEARS.

“THIS IS A GREAT DAY FOR GERMANY, AND FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF A GENTLEMAN NAMED DONALD J. TRUMP. CONGRAULATIONS TO ALL.”

The all-caps style there is his, not mine.

Read on for the latest updates.

Originally published as US politics live: Donald Trump’s USAID clear-out begins today