{"id":2654460,"date":"2026-09-04T06:55:01","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T10:55:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rubios-plan-to-trust-un-with-us-funded-aid-faces-security-threats\/"},"modified":"2026-09-04T06:58:12","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T10:58:12","slug":"rubios-plan-to-trust-un-with-us-funded-aid-faces-security-threats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rubios-plan-to-trust-un-with-us-funded-aid-faces-security-threats\/","title":{"rendered":"Rubio&#8217;s plan to trust UN with US-funded aid faces security threats"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/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%2Frubios-plan-to-trust-un-with-us-funded-aid-faces-security-threats%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=2654460&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>A U.N. agency trusted by the U.S., the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian affairs (OCHA), experienced numerous security incidents while managing U.S.-funded aid programs over a three-month period, including fraud, diversion, and violence in 18 countries. The incidents, documented in a confidential report, highlight challenges such as terrorist attacks, sexual abuse allegations, theft, and intimidation by armed groups, with many issues only reviewed and recommended upon by OCHA staff. Despite efforts to streamline vetting and improve oversight, concerns remain about the security risks and effectiveness of OCHA\u2019s management. The Biden and Trump administrations aimed to increase accountability and reconfigure U.S. aid, with the Trump-era policies shrinking the foreign aid bureaucracy. However, critics worry that delegating aid management to UN agencies like OCHA, which have limited experience handling such large sums and notable oversight deficiencies, poses risks of mismanagement and security problems. Tensions also persist over the U.S. government\u2019s trust in OCHA, especially after recent demands for investigations into Hamas involvement in aid programs. while U.S. officials seek to enhance aid accountability, security issues and oversight concerns continue to challenge effective management of humanitarian funds through the UN.  <\/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<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>EXCLUSIVE \u2014<\/strong> A U.N. agency trusted by the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/state-department\">State Department<\/a> faced dozens of security incidents that threatened U.S. aid in a three-month period, according to records obtained by the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The U.N.\u2019s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs documented 48 reports of fraud, diversion, and other obstacles from April through June for U.S.-funded programs in 18 countries, a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/OCHA-internal-report.pdf\">confidential OCHA report shows<\/a>. The document was sent to the State Department in July to track roughly half of the $3.8 billion the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/trump-administration\/\">Trump administration<\/a> pledged to OCHA <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4658392\/us-funded-united-nations-agency-worked-with-hamas-documents-show\/\">since December<\/a>. The agency marked 22 of the incidents as \u201cresolved.\u201d<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4709853\/un-foreign-aid-programs-bad-actors-rubio-agreements\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>UN struggling to protect foreign aid programs from bad actors under Rubio agreements, documents show<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/foreign-policy\/4710028\/rubio-john-ratcliffe-russia-meeting-routine-intel-communications\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Rubio calls Ratcliffe\u2019s Russian meeting routine for \u2018intel-to-intel\u2019 communications<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/foreign-policy\/4709701\/byron-york-optimistic-us-efforts-iran-war-despite-continued-conflict\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Byron York remains optimistic on US efforts in Iran despite continued conflict<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">OCHA largely relies on other humanitarian organizations to distribute the U.S.-funded services after fast-tracking their vetting process, the report shows. The document gives a snapshot of OCHA partners\u2019 chaotic situations on the ground, such as Islamic terrorists allegedly damaging a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/nigeria\/\">Nigeria<\/a> facility, sexual abuse allegations in Chad, \u201cintimidation by armed groups\u201d in the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/congo\/\">Democratic Republic of the Congo<\/a>, Ugandan security guards allegedly stealing supplies, and \u201cunidentified armed men\u201d running off with an aid vehicle in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ethiopia\/\">Ethiopia<\/a>. OCHA bureaucrats\u2019 responses often amounted to reviewing the incidents and making recommendations.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The State Department <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20260722151020\/https:\/\/www.state.gov\/releases\/under-secretary-for-foreign-assistance-humanitarian-affairs-and-religious-freedom\/2025\/12\/more-lives-saved-for-fewer-taxpayer-dollars-trump-administration-leads-humanitarian-resetin-the-united-nations\">said<\/a> its new OCHA <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20260722150939\/https:\/\/geneva.usmission.gov\/2026\/05\/14\/u-s-pledges-additional-1-8-billion-to-ochas-humanitarian-reset\/\">partnership<\/a> would bring \u201caccountability\u201d for taxpayer funds after President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\">Donald Trump<\/a> shrunk America\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/foreign-policy\/4499309\/state-department-new-bureau-usaid-closure\/#google_vignette\">foreign aid bureaucracy<\/a> and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/3796823\/trump-administration-asks-supreme-court-keep-billions-foreign-aid-frozen\/\">paused programs<\/a>. But the partnership creates no \u201clegally binding obligations\u201d and defers entirely to U.N. policy for managing internal issues, according to a signed \u201cmemorandum of understanding\u201d <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/US-OCHA-MOU.pdf\">the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> obtained<\/a>. OCHA\u2019s security woes could hinder Trump\u2019s ability to fulfill promises to his base, as <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.heritage.org\/global-politics\/report\/state-department-must-stop-funding-radical-un-humanitarian-agency\">conservative policy experts<\/a> argue that <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aei.org\/commentary\/trump-administration-should-scrap-its-new-un-deal\/\">outsourcing tasks<\/a> to the U.N. agency was a risky idea.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">OCHA and the State Department did not respond to the <em>Washington Examiner\u2019s<\/em> requests for comment.<\/p>\n<h1 id=\"h-where-s-the-money-going\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where\u2019s the money going?<\/h1>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The State Department\u2019s memo required OCHA to create new \u201cAccountability and Impact Teams\u201d to \u201cidentify, assess, and mitigate\u201d risks affecting U.S.-funded aid. <\/p>\n<p>Securing the supplies is proving to be easier said than done for OCHA and its partnering groups, according to its quarterly report.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOn the night of 16 June, a critically ill and unconscious patient was brought to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fda-says-ivermectin-doesnt-work-against-covid-19-but-points-to-studies-that-show-it-does-2\/\" title=\"FDA Says Ivermectin Doesn...t Work Against COVID-19 but Points to Studies That Show It Does\">primary health care center<\/a> and died soon after,\u201d the report said about an incident in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/bangladesh\/\">Bangladesh<\/a>. \u201cThe group that brought the patient became violent, attacking personnel on site and vandalizing the facilities including medical equipment. Some workers were reported trapped inside the facilities during the incident, and were later freed with the support of camp authorities who intervened.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The encounter led to new security measures, and \u201can assessment of losses \u2026 will be shared with OCHA,\u201d the agency wrote.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the first $1.9 billion of the State Department funds, OCHA spent 2% of staffing costs on \u201csecurity\u201d and 7% on \u201cprotection,\u201d according to the report. OCHA said it received feedback suggesting it reconsider its budgeting choices.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">OCHA also allowed vetting of partnering groups to be \u201cfast-tracked\u201d to get its U.S.-funded programs up and running, the report said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The agency also mentioned mixed feedback from partnering countries about whether its Accountability and Impact Teams were helping. \u201cSome counterparts have also raised concerns that AITs may function too much in isolation, potentially missing opportunities to flag risks or concerns that could affect the wider response,\u201d the report says.<\/p>\n<h1 id=\"h-rubio-s-dilemma\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rubio\u2019s dilemma<\/h1>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/presidential-actions\/2025\/01\/reevaluating-and-realigning-united-states-foreign-aid\/\">portrayed<\/a> humanitarian aid systems as wasteful and mismanaged while he <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3498674\/appeals-court-trump-foreign-aid-spending\/\">overhauled the bureaucracy<\/a> throughout 2025. Republican lawmakers also <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/foreignaffairs.house.gov\/news\/press-releases\/chairman-mast-gop-send-no-tax-dollars-for-taliban-bill-to-house-floor\">repeatedly<\/a> called out former President Joe Biden for <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2025\/02\/04\/biden-admin-terrorist-1-3-billion-trump-foreign-aid\/\">failing<\/a> to keep tax dollars in Afghanistan out of the Taliban\u2019s hands.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cutting staff left Secretary of State <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/marco-rubio\">Marco Rubio<\/a>\u2018s team responsible for numerous programs and dollars once handled by the now-defunct <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/usaid\/\">U.S. Agency for International Development<\/a>. The State Department thus announced in December that OCHA would help drive a \u201cHumanitarian Reset\u201d through its signed memo, which officials did not make public.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis [memo] reflects the good-faith intentions of the Partners and does not create any legally binding obligations, rights, or liabilities under international law, national law, or any other legal system,\u201d the document said. It adds that \u201cOCHA\u2019s activities are subject to the regulations, rules, policies, and procedures of the United Nations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite the political appetite for foreign aid reform, conservatives expressed concern at the State Department\u2019s announcement that it would trust OCHA with billions of dollars.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFor context, OCHA has never managed even half this amount of money \u2014 the U.S. contribution would double OCHA\u2019s 2025 funding,\u201d experts at the American Enterprise Institute wrote in February about the first $1.9 billion. \u201cNor does the new [agreement] improve oversight of assistance, leaving that to the UN\u2019s Board of Auditors, Office of Internal Oversight Services and the Joint Inspection Unit \u2014 entities that the U.S. Mission to the UN has criticized as inadequate and lacking independence.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe State Department\u2019s confidence in the effectiveness of OCHA\u2019s pooled funds is strange,\u201d a Heritage Foundation analyst wrote in July.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4662014\/state-department-un-agency-investigate-hamas\/\"><strong>STATE DEPARTMENT DEMANDS US-FUNDED UN AGENCY \u2018FULLY INVESTIGATE\u2019 HAMAS INVOLVEMENT IN AID PROGRAMS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">OCHA\u2019s quarterly report went to U.S. officials <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4662014\/state-department-un-agency-investigate-hamas\/\">just days after<\/a> the State Department demanded it \u201cfully investigate\u201d <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/hamas\/\">Hamas<\/a>\u2018s meddling in Gaza aid programs, activities the department said it is not funding. The United Nations already lost funds for its Palestinian refugee agency over reports that it employed people who participated in Hamas\u2019s 2023 massacre in Israel.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOver time, the Department of State expects all U.S. funding of UN humanitarian work to be channeled through OCHA pooled fund vehicles,\u201d Rubio\u2019s officials said in December.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>U.N. agency trusted by State faced 48 security issues in 3 months<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1239,"featured_media":2654461,"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\/2026\/09\/AP26084692432065.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[5438,39031,52441,51514],"class_list":["post-2654460","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-rubio","tag-security-threats","tag-un-2","tag-us-aid"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/AP26084692432065.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2654460","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\/1239"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2654460"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2654460\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2654464,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2654460\/revisions\/2654464"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2654461"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2654460"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2654460"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2654460"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}