{"id":2399917,"date":"2025-02-06T18:13:02","date_gmt":"2025-02-06T23:13:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/brian-mast-excoriates-usaid-as-rotten-to-the-core\/"},"modified":"2025-02-06T18:14:53","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T23:14:53","slug":"brian-mast-excoriates-usaid-as-rotten-to-the-core","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/brian-mast-excoriates-usaid-as-rotten-to-the-core\/","title":{"rendered":"Brian Mast excoriates USAID as &#8216;rotten to the core&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbrian-mast-excoriates-usaid-as-rotten-to-the-core%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2399917&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Brian Mast, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has criticized USAID as &#8220;rotten to the core,&#8221; referencing an internal memo from USAID&#8217;s Inspector General Paul Martin,\u200c which highlights issues of unaccountability within the agency. This criticism comes amid notable reforms initiated by former President Donald Trump and\u2064 entrepreneur Elon Musk \u200baimed at streamlining government efficiency.Mast argues that any institution dispensing taxpayer funds should require its recipients to \u2064disclose connections to terrorists or \u200dcorruption. He specifically points to the \u200bUN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees as an example\u200c of USAID&#8217;s lack of\u200d accountability, notably during the Biden management.<\/p>\n<p>Concerns have arisen over \u2063the future of\u200c USAID as it undergoes\u200b scrutiny from Congress,\u200b particularly about its unregulated funding practices and insufficient vetting processes for its partner organizations. The memo from Martin indicates systemic failures\u2064 in how USAID manages its funding, specifically \u2063regarding links to designated terrorist organizations and known corrupt \u2062entities. Democrats\u2063 fear similar scrutiny might target other \u2062federal agencies like the department of Education.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Brian Mast excoriates USAID as &lsquo;rotten to the core,&rsquo; citing internal memo<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1980800\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>EXCLUSIVE &mdash; <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/house-foreign-affairs-committee\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">House Foreign Affairs Committee<\/a> Chairman <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/brian-mast\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Brian Mast<\/a> called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/usaid\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">USAID<\/a> &ldquo;rotten to the core,&rdquo; citing a memo from the federal agency&rsquo;s watchdog circulated as President<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> Donald Trump<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/elon-musk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Elon Musk<\/a> undertook drastic reforms.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Mast, who became the top foreign policy House Republican at the start of the 119th Congress, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> that USAID Inspector General Paul Martin, appointed by former President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/elon-musk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Joe Biden<\/a>, exposed &ldquo;the web of unaccountability at USAID that Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs Committee have called out for years.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Any entity giving out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/laura-hollis-maga-movement-still-mischaracterized\/\" title=\"Laura Hollis: MAGA Movement Still Mischaracterized\">taxpayer dollars abroad<\/a> should, at the very least, require its recipients and their contractors to disclose any ties to terrorists or corrupt oligarchs America has sanctioned,&rdquo; Mast said Thursday. <\/p>\n<p>USAID was placed under the political spotlight as the first federal government department or agency that Trump and Musk upended through the Department of Government Efficiency. Democrats have expressed concern about the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-issues-memo-delaying-deportation-of-palestinians-in-u-s\/\" title=\"Biden delays deportation of Palestinians in U.S\">foreign policy consequences<\/a> of shutting down USAID as China increases its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/congressional-republicans-call-on-biden-administration-to-act-swiftly-on-ethiopia-crisis\/\" title=\"...ional Republicans Call on Biden Administration to Act Swiftly on Ethiopia Crisis\">foreign aid<\/a> and Musk&rsquo;s demonstrates the power to <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">override congressionally appropriated funds<\/a> for the agency&rsquo;s programs.<\/p>\n<p>The White House has supported Musk throughout the process, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt describing a list of USAID projects as &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3311863\/usaid-long-list-crap-karoline-leavitt-wasteful-spending\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"crap\">crap<\/a>&rdquo; that taxpayers shouldn&rsquo;t be funding. <\/p>\n<p>On Thursday, Mast, a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom who lost both his legs in 2010 while serving as an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/army\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Army<\/a> explosive ordnance disposal technician in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/afghanistan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Afghanistan<\/a>, pointed to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/united-nations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">United Nations <\/a>Relief and Works Agency&nbsp;for Palestine Refugees as another example of USAID&rsquo;s lack of accountability, particularly during Biden&rsquo;s administration.<\/p>\n<p>UNRWA has been criticized, especially amid the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/israel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Israel<\/a>&ndash;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/hamas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Hamas<\/a> war, for employing people connected to or sympathizing with the terrorist organization, prompting the group to publish a &ldquo;Claims Versus Facts&rdquo; page on its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unrwa.org\/unrwa-claims-versus-facts-february-2024\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This is also why the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/senate-foreign-relations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Senate Foreign Relations Committee<\/a> must conduct a full <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/state-department\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">State Department <\/a>reauthorization for the first time since 2002,&rdquo; Mast added.<\/p>\n<p>    <iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"scribd_iframe_embed\" title=\"USAID Inspector General Memorandum Challenges to Accountability and Transparency Within USAID-Funded Programs[25] (1)\" src=\"https:\/\/www.scribd.com\/embeds\/824893375\/content?start_page=1&amp;view_mode=scroll&amp;access_key=key-9aByBL49MBP0ZNEMiBlD\" data-auto-height=\"false\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.7729220222793488\" scrolling=\"no\" id=\"doc_80858\" width=\"100%\" height=\"600\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>    <\/p>\n<p>Martin sent the memo to former USAID acting Administrator Jason Gray and his chief of staff Matt Hopson on Jan. 23, three days after Trump signed an executive order pausing foreign aid for 90 days and one day before he suspended much domestic federal funding before the implementation of that executive action was itself put on hold.<\/p>\n<p>Since then, Gray was demoted, Hopson resigned, and Musk, after aides from DOGE accessed classified USAID information without security clearances, has declared his desire to shutter the agency. Secretary of State <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/marco-rubio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Marco Rubio<\/a> assumed responsibility for USAID acting administrator earlier this week as Musk seeks to move it to be within his department.<\/p>\n<p>Martin remains USAID&rsquo;s watchdog after Trump fired 17 inspectors general last week, a USAID spokeswoman told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> on Thursday.<\/p>\n<p>In the memo, Martin condemned USAID for not properly vetting aid organization partners for connections to designated terrorist organizations and known corrupt actors, in addition to a lack of data regarding USAID-funded sub-awardees or groups given money or resources through USAID funding recipients.<\/p>\n<p>In the past, USAID has mostly relied on contractually required self-reporting, known as &ldquo;mandatory disclosures.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Despite these obligations, direct reporting to OIG from UN agencies is limited and at times significantly delayed if not altogether absent,&rdquo; Martin wrote, using the acronym for his Office of the Inspector General.<\/p>\n<p>Martin&rsquo;s memo similarly denounced the U.N. for &ldquo;long delays or outright refusal by UN agencies in providing&nbsp;requested investigative information to OIG.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Obtaining information from U.N. agencies remains a lengthy and frustrating undertaking, delaying<br \/>OIG&rsquo;s ability to investigate allegations of fraud, sexual abuse, and other matters such as,&rdquo; he wrote.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Mast&rsquo;s office underscored how USAID&rsquo;s due diligence regarding funding awardees and terrorism connections did not happen for agency contractors and that USAID did not require disclosure from funding applicants of relationships with sanctioned or otherwise known corrupt entities. Mast aides also emphasized how there was no comprehensive database of sub-awardees, which hampered Martin&rsquo;s oversight of the agency.<\/p>\n<p>Democrats are worried the Education Department, among other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/canada-threatens-to-fire-federal-employees-using-lets-go-brandon-in-correspondence\/\" title=\"Canada Threatens To Fire Federal Employees Using \u2018Let\u2019s Go Brandon\u2019 In Correspondence\">federal government departments<\/a> and agencies, will be under DOGE&rsquo;s microscope next after USAID as Musk and his aides seek commitments from federal workers to accept buyouts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1980800\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1980800\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Brian Mast criticizes USAID as &#8216;rotten to the core,&#8217; referencing a memo amid Trump and Musk&#8217;s reforms<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2652,"featured_media":2399918,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/brian-mast-scaled-1024x682.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[43852,8773,36155,32171,16381],"class_list":["post-2399917","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-brian-mast","tag-corruption","tag-government-accountability","tag-political-commentary","tag-usaid"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/brian-mast-scaled-1024x682.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2399917","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2652"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2399917"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2399917\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2399921,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2399917\/revisions\/2399921"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2399918"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2399917"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2399917"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2399917"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}