A recent report by the Middle East Forum (MEF) has revealed that US foreign aid programs have disbursed over $164 million to terror-linked organizations since 2007. The majority of these funds, $152.9 million, came from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), while the US State Department was responsible for $11.6 million.
The report highlights several instances of USAID funding organizations with ties to terrorist groups, including Hamas, al-Qaeda, and the Muslim Brotherhood. One notable example is the American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA), which received $102.2 million in grants from USAID and $7.0 million from the State Department. ANERA has been accused of providing financial support to Hamas-adjacent organizations and building infrastructure for the terrorist group.
Another organization, the Bayader Association for Environment and Development, received $900,000 from USAID from 2016 to 2024. Bayader has been accused of collaborating with Hamas and facilitating their terror activities.
The report also highlights the case of Islamic Relief, a massive financial organization that operates offices and affiliates in over 40 countries. USAID has given $2.2 million to various branches of Islamic Relief, despite the organization being linked to the Muslim Brotherhood and having ties to terrorist groups.
The MEF report also criticizes USAID’s vetting procedures, stating that they are inadequate and fail to identify ties between aid organizations and designated terrorist groups. The report notes that USAID’s own Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has been calling for reforms for years, but to little effect.
The Trump administration has made reforming USAID a priority, with the President freezing all foreign aid spending and appointing Secretary of State Marco Rubio as Acting Administrator of USAID. While some have criticized the administration’s approach, the MEF report suggests that drastic reforms are necessary to ensure that US foreign aid programs are not inadvertently funding terrorist activities.
In response to the report, USAID has come under fire from lawmakers, with House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul expressing concern about the agency’s funding of organizations with ties to terrorist groups. The agency has also faced criticism from its own internal watchdog, the OIG, which has been investigating grants to recipients such as Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD).
The MEF report concludes that USAID’s failure to reform its vetting and award-granting practices has resulted in millions of US taxpayer dollars being steered towards organizations that cooperate with terrorists or indirectly subsidize terrorist activity. The report calls for drastic reforms to ensure that US foreign aid programs align with US foreign policy and do not inadvertently fund terrorist activities.
USAID Under Scrutiny for Alleged Waste and Abuse of Taxpayer Funds
The USAID is facing mounting criticism for what the White House describes as a long history of waste and abuse in its foreign aid programs. A recent fact sheet released by the White House outlines a series of questionable expenditures that have raised eyebrows among taxpayers and lawmakers alike.
According to the report, USAID has funneled substantial sums of money into projects that critics deem frivolous or even harmful. Among the highlighted expenditures are:
- $1.5 million allocated to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in Serbia’s workplaces and business communities.
- $70,000 spent on the production of a “DEI musical” in Ireland.
- $2.5 million for electric vehicles in Vietnam.
- $47,000 for a “transgender opera” in Colombia.
- $32,000 for a “transgender comic book” in Peru.
- $2 million directed towards sex changes and “LGBT activism” in Guatemala.
- $6 million earmarked for tourism initiatives in Egypt.
The report also raises serious concerns about USAID’s funding practices, including:
- Hundreds of thousands of dollars allocated to a non-profit organization linked to designated terrorist groups, even after an inspector general launched an investigation into the matter.
- Millions of dollars funneled to EcoHealth Alliance, an organization involved in research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
- Allegations that hundreds of thousands of meals intended for humanitarian aid ended up in the hands of al-Qaeda-affiliated fighters in Syria.
- Funding for the production of “personalized” contraceptive devices in developing countries.
- Hundreds of millions of dollars spent on irrigation canals, farming equipment, and fertilizer that inadvertently supported poppy cultivation and heroin production in Afghanistan, benefiting the Taliban.
The White House fact sheet emphasizes that these expenditures represent a pattern of unaccountability and lack of oversight within USAID, which has persisted for decades. Critics argue that such spending not only misuses taxpayer dollars but also undermines the integrity of U.S. foreign aid efforts.
In response to the report, lawmakers from both parties are calling for a comprehensive review of USAID’s funding practices and greater accountability measures to ensure that taxpayer money is used effectively and responsibly. The revelations have sparked a renewed debate over the role of USAID in U.S. foreign policy and the need for reform within the agency.
As the scrutiny intensifies, USAID faces pressure to address these concerns and demonstrate a commitment to transparency and accountability in its operations. The agency has yet to respond publicly to the allegations outlined in the White House fact sheet.
Sources:
- White House Fact Sheet on USAID Expenditures
- Congressional testimonies and reports
- Investigative journalism on USAID funding practices
- Middle East Forum (MEF) report
- USAID Office of the Inspector General (OIG) reports
- Congressional testimony and letters
- News articles and reports from reputable sources