Trump administration exposes ‘waste’ and ‘fraud’ in USAID spending, targets foreign aid projects

The documents revealed that USAID allocated $500,000 to address sectarian violence in Israel just 10 days before the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, which resulted in at least 1,200 deaths. Additionally, $5 million was given to EcoHealth Alliance, an NGO involved in bat virus research at the Wuhan lab, further raising concerns about the use of taxpayer money. The Trump administration also revealed that at least $10 million in USAID-funded meals were sent to an Al Qaeda-linked terrorist group.

Other funding included millions allocated to support LGBT activism in several countries, which has been a contentious issue under Trump’s administration. Among the funded projects were $7.9 million to teach Sri Lankan journalists how to avoid “binary-gendered language”, $2 million for LGBT activism in Guatemala, and $1.5 million to promote LGBT advocacy in Jamaica. There was also significant funding for LGBT causes in the Western Balkans, Uganda, and South Africa, including $6 million for advancing LGBT issues globally and $6.3 million specifically for gay men in South Africa.

Other notable funding initiatives include $25 million for Deloitte to promote “green transportation” in Georgia, $6 million for transforming digital spaces to reflect feminist democratic principles, and $8.3 million for “USAID Education: Equity and Inclusion.” The documents also mention more than $4.5 million allocated to combat disinformation in Kazakhstan.

“For decades, USAID bureaucrats believed they were accountable to no one – but that era is over. President Trump is STOPPING the waste, fraud, and abuse,” the Trump administration wrote on X.

On Thursday, Trump amplified these claims, stating that “billions of dollars have been stolen” from USAID, with much of it allegedly funneled to media outlets as payoffs to produce favourable stories for the Democrats.

Trump posted on Truth Social, commenting on allegations that media outlets like Politico and The New York Times had received significant sums of money from USAID. He suggested that Politico received $8 million and questioned whether The New York Times had similarly benefited. He labelled the situation as potentially “the biggest scandal of them all,” implying that it could be a major political issue for the Democrats.

“Looks like billions of dollars have been stollen at usaid, and other agencies, much of it going to the fake news media as a “payoff” for creating good stories about the Democrats. The left wing “rag,” known as “Politico,” seems to have received $8,000,000. Did The New York Times receive money??? Who else did??? This could be the biggest scandal of them all, perhaps the biggest in history! The Democrats can’t hide from this one. Too big, too dirty!” Trump posted on Truth Social.

Elon Musk, the tech billionaire heading DOGE, reacted to the revelations, calling the expenditures a “crazy waste” of taxpayers’ money. The staunch ally of Donald Trump, leveled several serious allegations against the agency and accused USAID officials of engaging in wasteful spending and corruption.

What is USAID?

USAID is the largest humanitarian and development arm of the US government, with a workforce of approximately 10,000 people globally and an annual budget of tens of billions of dollars. Congress approves the agency’s funding each year, and the agency collaborates with the White House and State Department to set its investment priorities. According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United States is the world’s largest provider of official development assistance, most of which is channeled through USAID.

In fiscal year 2023, USAID’s budget was approximately $44 billion, which accounts for around 0.6% of the US government’s total budget of $6.75 trillion. These funds support USAID’s efforts in over 160 countries, focusing on health, humanitarian assistance, and economic development.

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