Trump Fires USAID Inspector General

U.S. President Donald Trump has fired Paul Martin, the independent inspector general for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), just a day after his office released a report criticizing the administration’s management of the agency.

According to reports from The Washington Post, CNN, and other U.S. media outlets on Wednesday, February 12, Martin was notified of his dismissal via a brief email from the White House on Tuesday, February 11.

The email stated that his position had been “terminated, effective immediately,” but did not provide any reason for the decision.

Martin’s office had recently published a report cautioning that over $489 million in food aid faced the risk of spoilage or misallocation due to an aid freeze and stop-work order imposed by the Trump administration.

The report underscored persistent issues within USAID’s operations, noting that staff cuts and uncertainty surrounding foreign aid waivers had “weakened USAID’s capacity to distribute and protect taxpayer-funded humanitarian assistance.”

Trump had already removed 18 inspectors general, who act as independent watchdogs for the federal government, but Martin—appointed by Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden—had remained in his role until now.

Since beginning his second term last month, the president has aggressively moved to shrink or dismantle various government agencies, a push spearheaded by his top donor, billionaire Elon Musk.

USAID, responsible for managing US humanitarian aid worldwide, has been a major focus of these efforts. With a $42.8 billion budget and operations in roughly 120 countries, the agency plays a crucial role in US geopolitical strategy, particularly in competition with China.

The Trump administration has frozen foreign aid, ordered thousands of USAID personnel stationed abroad to return home, and initiated a dramatic workforce reduction from 10,000 employees to about 300.

Labor unions are challenging the legality of these actions, and a federal judge recently issued a temporary injunction blocking the administration’s plan to place 2,200 USAID workers on paid leave.

Democrats argue that Trump lacks the authority to shut down government agencies without congressional approval, raising constitutional concerns over his approach.