U.S. President Donald Trump has dismissed Paul Martin, the independent inspector general for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), according to reports from U.S. media outlets on Wednesday.
The dismissal occurred just a day after Martin’s office released a report critical of the administration’s efforts to dismantle the agency. Outlets such as The Washington Post and CNN reported the development, citing a brief email from the White House on Tuesday. The email, which provided no explanation for the decision, simply stated that Martin’s position was “terminated, effective immediately.”
The report from Martin’s office had highlighted concerns over the potential spoilage or diversion of more than $489 million worth of food assistance. These risks arose after the Trump administration imposed an aid freeze and a stop-work order.
The report said it had long “identified significant challenges and offered recommendations to improve Agency programming to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse.”
“However, recent widespread staffing reductions across the Agency… coupled with uncertainty about the scope of foreign assistance waivers and permissible communications with implementers, has degraded USAID’s ability to distribute and safeguard taxpayer-funded humanitarian assistance.”
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has already dismissed 18 inspectors general, the independent watchdogs overseeing federal government activities. However, Paul Martin, appointed by Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden, had remained in his position until his recent removal.
Trump, who began his second term last month, has intensified efforts to restructure or dismantle portions of the U.S. government, spearheaded by his top donor Elon Musk, the world’s richest man. Among the key targets of this initiative is USAID, the primary agency responsible for distributing U.S. humanitarian aid globally.
With health and emergency programs in approximately 120 countries, USAID manages a $42.8 billion budget—accounting for 42% of humanitarian aid distributed worldwide. The agency has long been considered a crucial tool of U.S. soft power in global competition with rivals like China.
The Trump administration has frozen foreign aid, recalled thousands of USAID staff based internationally, and initiated drastic cuts to the agency’s workforce, aiming to reduce its headcount from 10,000 to about 300.
Labor unions have challenged the legality of these measures, and a federal judge recently ordered a temporary halt to plans that would have placed 2,200 USAID employees on paid leave by the weekend. Democrats have also argued that it would be unconstitutional for the administration to shut down federal agencies without legislative approval.