‘Hold On Just A Second’: GOP Strategist Pushes Back On CNN Host’s Attempt To Steamroll Him Over USAID

GOP strategist Brad Todd pushed back against CNN host Anderson Cooper on Monday after Cooper attempted to steamroll him over his support for the shutdown of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

In a discussion on X, Elon Musk announced Monday morning that he and President Donald Trump had agreed to end USAID, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio later confirming that he would be the agency’s new acting director. While discussing the shutdown of the agency on “Anderson Cooper 360,” CNN’s Van Jones said that people would “die in very large numbers around the world,” highlighting how individuals on HIV medication supplied through USAID’s President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) would no longer receive the care they need.

“That’s not an event today. Marco Rubio wrote congressional leaders to explain their moves on USAID and why they’re moving it to the State Department,” Todd responded.

Cooper immediately jumped in, saying that they were “specifically talking about HIV medication and PEPFAR.”

“Well, hold on just a second. The goal is to make sure the programs and the people administering them align with U.S. foreign policy goals. You know, we started USAID in 1961 as a way to counter the Soviet Union’s influence. Today, we need to use it to counter the Belt and Road Initiative is China,” Todd said.

Cooper responded.

“But PEPFAR, which is what Van was talking about, was actually started by George W. Bush, and it saved 25 million lives over it since that time,” Cooper said.

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