A high-ranking official at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has been placed on leave after releasing a strong memo that criticizes political appointees from the Trump administration. The memo claims that these officials are hindering vital humanitarian efforts.
Nicholas Enrich, acting administrator for global health at USAID, expressed serious concerns. He stated that the actions of Trump appointees could lead to “preventable death, destabilization, and threats to national security.”
In his memo, dated February 28, Enrich pointed out various “obstacles” created by political leaders in USAID and the Department of State. These obstacles have blocked the agency from providing life-saving assistance, despite claims from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that waivers had been issued to allow such help.
Enrich’s memo highlighted how these actions have contributed to the U.S. Government’s failure to carry out essential humanitarian work. He detailed the impact of the freeze on specific activities, including emergency responses needed for the Ebola outbreak in Uganda.
Although the funding for these Ebola activities was approved about a month ago, Enrich noted that implementing partners still haven’t received any funds. This situation contradicts claims made by Elon Musk, who suggested that the cancellation of Ebola prevention efforts was a minor issue that was quickly resolved.
Following the release of this memo, Enrich was put on administrative leave. CNN has since sought comments from both the State Department and USAID regarding the matter.
Enrich’s memo cites other issues that impeded life-saving assistance. These include a refusal to pay for prior assistance, barriers to accessing payment systems, unclear guidelines on what constitutes “lifesaving,” and unexpected layoffs and staffing changes within USAID’s Global Health bureau.
Recently, more than 90% of USAID’s foreign assistance awards were abruptly terminated, even for projects that had received approvals. Additionally, the Trump administration is facing a lawsuit for nearly $2 billion owed for completed work prior to the freeze, a case that is now with the Supreme Court.
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