A senior official at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has been placed on leave following the release of a controversial letter that questions the impact of Donald Trump’s policies. Nick Enrich, acting assistant administrator for global health, sent the memo expressing concerns about the government’s failure to provide life-saving aid globally due to political appointees under Trump’s administration.
The Washington Post reported that Enrich’s memo contradicts statements by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who claimed a functioning system was in place to exempt life-saving assistance from the aid freeze imposed during Trump’s first week in office. Enrich alleged that USAID’s inability to implement humanitarian aid under the waiver is due to political leadership, which could result in preventable deaths and national security threats.
Laura Barrón-López of PBS NewsHour shared a more detailed version of the memo. In it, Enrich wrote that all necessary awards for life-saving assistance were terminated by February 27th, leaving the number of deaths caused by the funding loss unknown at that time. His concerns led to his suspension shortly after.
The memo highlights significant issues with Trump’s policies and their potential consequences on global health and security. Enrich’s suspension has sparked discussions about political influence in federal agencies and accountability for policy outcomes.