What’s happening?: The Trump administration has uncovered nearly $200 million in questionable USAID spending, from terrorist-linked food programs to transgender operas abroad. Here’s where the money went:
The biggest red flags:
$10 million: Meals that went to al Qaeda-linked groups
$75 million: Diversity and inclusion programs worldwide
Part of $150 billion climate strategy
Where the DEI money went:
Vietnam: $16.8 million for “equitable outcomes”
Education: $8.3 million for “equity and inclusion”
Sri Lanka: $7.9 million to combat “binary-gender language”
South Africa: $6.3 million for men’s sexual health study
Global LGBTQ initiatives: $6 million across “priority countries”
Uganda: $5.5 million for LGBTQ causes
Serbia: $1.5 million for workplace inclusion
Media projects funded:
Iraq: $20 million for local Sesame Street version
News Access: $8 million for Politico Pro subscriptions
Libya: $2.1 million to BBC for “media ecosystem”
Cuba: $1.5 million for media rebuilding
Colombia: $47,000 for transgender opera
Peru: $2 million for transgender comic book
Why it matters:
USAID programs now frozen worldwide
Staff placed on administrative leave
Agency’s future uncertain
Democrats say shutdown illegal
Trump calls leadership “radical lunatics”
What’s next:
Agency to be folded into State Department
All programs currently halted
Staff access to offices blocked
Legal challenges expected
Congress likely to weigh in
The bottom line: While USAID traditionally helps with disaster relief, refugee support, and development programs, the White House says these spending revelations justify major changes to the agency’s operations and independence.
Read more:
• USAID’s $200M tab: $10M of meals to al Qaeda-linked terrorists, millions more to DEI
This article is written with the assistance of generative artificial intelligence based solely on Washington Times original reporting and wire services. For more information, please read our AI policy or contact Ann Wog, Managing Editor for Digital, at awog@washingtontimes.com
The Washington Times AI Ethics Newsroom Committee can be reached at aispotlight@washingtontimes.com.