USAID’s Office of the Inspector General has delayed publishing two significant reports detailing the consequences of President Trump’s foreign aid funding freeze and staff cuts, according to a Washington Post investigation. Sources familiar with the situation indicate the delay stems from fears of White House retaliation.
One unpublished report warns that funding and staff cutbacks could undermine the Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza, putting over $300 million in humanitarian assistance at risk. A second global audit documents security threats, potential looting, disease risks, and massive new costs resulting from aid withdrawal and possible USAID local staff relocations. The situation appears particularly severe across southern Africa, South Sudan, and Senegal, where field auditors predict increased hunger due to USAID’s ongoing dismantling.
These reports remain in draft form with acting Deputy Inspector General Marc Meyer, who has been functioning as de facto inspector general since Paul K. Martin was fired shortly after releasing a critical assessment of the USAID retreat’s chaotic impact. Martin’s dismissal is part of a broader pattern, with President Trump having removed 17 other inspectors general across government agencies.
“The fate of in-house, independent oversight is at a tipping point,” Martin stated. Former Small Business Administration watchdog Hannibal “Mike” Ware, who was also fired in January, commented: “They’re deathly afraid of losing their jobs if they do their jobs. But the role of the IG requires full courage in speaking truth to power. Absent that you have a one-sided, partisan telling of the tale.”
Read the Washington Post article here, which is behind a paywall.
