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Representative image (Picture credit: AP)
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) is facing heavy scrutiny after Trump administration crackdown.
US President Trump, who has long criticised USAID, signed an executive order pausing foreign assistance for 90 days. “USAID is being run by radical lunatics,” he said, vowing to end what he calls “waste, fraud, and abuse.”
Meanwhile, secretary of state Marco Rubio had called USAID a “global charity” that operates with little regard for US national interests. The agency’s Washington headquarters has been temporarily closed and several senior officials have been placed on leave as investigations continue.
Recently, house foreign affairs committee chairman Brian Mast and the White House exposed a series of, what they referred to as “wasteful” expenditures under the Biden administration.
From funding drag shows in Ecuador to providing cash vouchers for illegal migrants, USAID’s use of taxpayer dollars has raised major concerns about its accountability.
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Here are some of the spending decisions, that the committee termed as “outrageous”:
1. $15 million for condoms for the Taliban
Yes, you read that right. In the video, Representative Mast claimed that USAID allocated $15 million worth of condoms to the Taliban, an extremist group known for suppressing women's rights. He mocked this expenditure, stating, “I don’t think anybody’s going to die because we don’t give the Taliban any more condoms.”
2. $446,000 to promote atheism in Nepal
Through the state department, USAID funnelled nearly half a million dollars to promote atheism in Nepal.
3. $47,000 for a transgender opera in Colombia
The US government spent tens of thousands of dollars to fund a transgender-themed opera in Colombia, a move that left many questioning its relevance to American interests.
4. $20,600 for drag shows in Ecuador
Another eyebrow-raising expenditure, USAID paid for drag performances in Ecuador as part of an LGBTQ cultural initiative. According to the foreign affairs committee, Fundación Diálogo Diverso, an LGBTQ organization in Ecuador, received nearly $75,000 over a period of three years, which includes a $25,000 grant from last year. The organization utilized those funds to host a two-day drag workshop and create a video documenting the event.
5. $350 million for a pier in Gaza
This massive sum was spent to build a pier in Gaza, allegedly to facilitate humanitarian aid. However, critics argue that it could easily benefit terrorist groups like Hamas, according to The National Desk.
6. $1 million to boost French-speaking LGBTQ groups in Africa
Through the State Department, USAID funded LGBTQ activism in West and Central Africa with a $1 million grant, despite many African nations rejecting Western-imposed social policies.
7. $3 million for just “being LGBTQ” in the Caribbean
USAID reportedly spent $3 million to support LGBTQ individuals in the Caribbean with no clear explanation of how the funds were distributed or why the initiative was necessary.
8. $55,000 for a climate change seminar in Argentina—only for female and LGBTQ journalists
A USAID-funded climate seminar in Argentina had a strict requirement: participants had to be female or LGBTQ journalists, raising concerns about inclusivity and fairness.
9. $2 million for sex changes and LGBTQ activism in Guatemala
The White House disclosed that USAID provided $2 million to support sex reassignment surgeries and LGBTQ activism in Guatemala, a deeply conservative country.
10. $425,000 to help Indonesian coffee companies become more “gender-friendly”
US Taxpayer money was used to promote gender inclusivity within Indonesian coffee businesses, sparking outrage over how such spending aligns with American interests.
11) $32,000 for a transgender comic book in Peru
USAID spent $32,000 to create an LGBTQ-focused comic book in Peru. While it is likely meant to promote inclusivity, critics argue that funding a niche cultural project in South America is a waste of American taxpayer money.
14) Millions to EcoHealth Alliance—tied to the Wuhan Lab
USAID has funnelled millions of dollars to EcoHealth Alliance, the organization linked to controversial coronavirus research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
15) Hundreds of thousands of meals sent to al-Qaeda fighters in Syria
According to The White House, USAID provided food aid that allegedly ended up in the hands of al-Qaeda-affiliated fighters in Syria. Critics argue this demonstrates the agency’s lack of control over where US funds actually go.
16) Hundreds of millions for Afghan Poppy cultivation
USAID has reportedly spent hundreds of millions of dollars on irrigation canals, farming equipment, and fertilizer in Afghanistan—resources that directly benefited the Taliban’s heroin trade. The funding helped sustain one of the world’s largest opium networks, undermining US counter-narcotics efforts.
17) $14 million in cash vouchers for migrants at the Southern border
While the US faces its own economic struggles, USAID allocated $14 million in cash vouchers to migrants at the southern border. Critics argue this policy incentivises illegal immigration and misuses taxpayer money that could be spent on domestic priorities.
