In a recently released video, Bush and Obama praised outgoing USAID employees, whose efforts against AIDS and HIV in Africa have been credited with saving more than 25 million lives. Both former presidents framed Trump’s decision not only as shortsighted policy but as a moral failure.

“You have shown the great strength of America through your efforts — and that is your compassionate spirit,” Bush told staff. “Is it in our national interest that 25 million individuals who would have died are now alive? I believe it is, and so do you.”

Bush, who has largely refrained from publicly criticizing Trump since 2016, looked visibly emotional as he thanked the departing workers. He helped establish the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) during his administration, a program still regarded as one of the most impactful humanitarian efforts in modern history.

Obama