USAID Official Critiques Political Interference in Life-Saving Humanitarian Efforts

USAID Official's Stark Memo on Political Interference

A top official at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) was put on leave following a scathing memo blaming Trump political appointees for the U.S. government's inability to conduct life-saving humanitarian work. Nicholas Enrich, the acting administrator for global health at USAID, warned that political appointees' decisions would lead to preventable deaths and raise threats to national security.

Barriers to Life-Saving Activities

In the memo, dated February 28 and seen by CNN, Enrich detailed several obstacles imposed by political leadership, preventing USAID from implementing necessary waivers for life-saving assistance.

• Emergency response activities obstructed, including attempts to address the Ebola outbreak in Uganda.
• Claims of waivers by Secretary of State Marco Rubio contradicted Enrich's assertions about a failure to deliver assistance.

Enrich noted that despite receiving approval for emergency response activities, implementing partners had not received necessary funds, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

Shifts and Challenges in Leadership

Enrich's memo elaborated on significant staffing changes within USAID's Global Health bureau, hindering the response to ongoing challenges. This change included unwarranted terminations and inconsistent access to payment systems.

Enrich conveyed his concerns about how these actions have led to the U.S. government's failure in critical life-saving activities, a stance that contradicts other narratives surrounding the administration's decisions.