President Trump’s national security adviser defended the administration’s push to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Mike Waltz also pushed back against Democrats who say gutting the USAID is a gift to China.

“No, absolutely not,” Mr. Waltz said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “All too often, these missions and these programs, number one, are not in line with strategic U.S. interests like pushing back on China.”

“They’re doing all kinds of other things that frankly, aren’t in line with strategic interests or the president’s vision,” he said.

The Trump administration’s push to shut down the agency was paused after a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking its plan to put 2,200 employees on paid leave.

Democrats have rallied against the effort and outside groups have accused the Trump administration of engaging in unconstitutional and illegal actions in their quest to shut down the agency.

“What we’re seeing right now with the Trump administration over the last week is just very clearly an American retreat when it comes to the rest of the world,” Sen. Andy Kim of New Jersey said on “Meet the Press.” “We’re doing China’s work for them.”

“This is going to be something that makes it more likely that we see conflicts and we have to use our own troops,” he said.

However, Mr. Waltz said USAID has wandered from its core mission and been too loose with taxpayer money.

“The dollars aren’t being used wisely,” he said. “We need to realign their mission and line it up with the president’s foreign policy vision.”

• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.