WASHINGTON, D.C. (IANS)- The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) officially shut down on July 1, a move criticized by former US Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush.

As of July 1, USAID will be merged into the State Department. According to an earlier statement from the State Department, this reorganization involves realigning certain USAID functions with the State Department. Other USAID functions, which do not align with incumbent President Donald Trump’s policy priorities, will be terminated.

In separate statements, Obama called the Trump administration’s dismantling of USAID “a colossal mistake.” Bush, meanwhile, cited an AIDS relief program, whose future remains unclear along with much of US foreign aid, as a concerning example.

Trump had previously slammed USAID as being run by “a bunch of radical lunatics,” Xinhua news agency reported.

The remaining USAID functions that do not align with the administration’s priorities will be discontinued, as stated by the State Department earlier this year.

“Foreign assistance done right can advance our national interests, protect our borders, and strengthen our partnerships with key allies. Unfortunately, USAID strayed from its original mission long ago,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement in March.

A memo sent to USAID employees had informed them that all positions not required by law would be eliminated.

Despite the reorganization, USAID has maintained disaster response teams, as seen in the US response to a devastating earthquake in Myanmar.