USAID Inspector General Fired Shortly After Releasing Report Criticizing Aid Stoppage

The White House has terminated Paul Martin, the Inspector General of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), according to sources. The decision, made on Tuesday, did not originate from USAID’s acting administrator or the Secretary of State Marco Rubio but rather from the White House Office of Presidential Personnel.

This action follows closely after Martin’s office released a report critical of the Trump administration’s decision to halt certain aid distributions. Additionally, just a day before the firing, USAID issued a warning about the administration’s dismantling efforts, which it said had severely compromised the agency’s ability to oversee $8.2 billion in humanitarian funding.

The Trump administration is currently scrutinizing USAID’s financial activities through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, amid talks of possibly revamping or even dissolving the agency altogether.

As part of this scrutiny, the agency revealed on its website that most of its staff would be placed on leave, retaining only those necessary for mission-critical functions and core leadership.

Furthermore, the agency’s overseas operations have been instructed to cease activities. Reports also surfaced that USAID employees had to conceal items like pride flags and books deemed incriminating when DOGE officials visited their offices.

Investigations into USAID’s spending have increased, with various entities examining past financial allocations. Recent findings highlight questionable expenditures, such as funding for a localized version of “Sesame Street” in Iraq and pottery classes in Morocco.

A report from the Middle East Forum, a U.S. think tank, also revealed that USAID had inadvertently funneled millions to extremist groups associated with designated terrorist organizations.

USAID, established in 1961 during the Kennedy administration, functions as an independent entity that collaborates closely with the State Department to manage civilian foreign aid. With the current administrative overhaul under Rubio, the future of USAID hangs in balance, as suggested in his recent communication with bipartisan lawmakers.