Senator Risch Demands Full USAID Spending Review Amid Waste and Fraud Scandal

In a bold call for accountability, Senator Jim Risch, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has demanded a comprehensive review of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) spending. Speaking at the Hudson Institute in Washington, Risch didn’t mince words, insisting that the billions poured into USAID programs need a top-to-bottom audit after revelations of questionable allocations and outright waste.

Since February, USAID—an agency originally tasked with providing aid to impoverished nations—has been under intense scrutiny. The Trump administration’s decision to place Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the helm signaled a seismic shift, driven by concerns that USAID had drifted from advancing core U.S. interests. What followed was a dramatic restructuring: mass layoffs, program cuts, and the agency’s absorption into the State Department. Rubio’s March announcement to slash over 80% of USAID’s programs—roughly 5,200 out of 6,200—underscored a harsh reality check, with thousands of staff facing the axe.

Risch highlighted eyebrow-raising examples of misspending, including a vague $3 million program for 'democracy promotion in Lower Slobovia'—a fictional stand-in for underdeveloped nations. He argued that such murky descriptions, alongside bizarre initiatives like a $1.5 million diversity program in Serbia and a $70,000 'DEI musical' in Ireland, reflect a deeper dysfunction. 'We can do so much better,' Risch emphasized, stressing that cutting waste doesn’t mean abandoning America’s commitment to human rights, a value he sees as intrinsic to the nation’s global leadership.

Rubio echoed this sentiment, stating that foreign assistance must prioritize U.S. national interests and border security while maintaining essential lifesaving programs. Yet, the overhaul has sparked fierce backlash from Democrats, with Rep. Gregory Meeks calling the dismantling of USAID 'illegal' and a blow to national security. The debate rages on: is this a necessary course correction or a reckless gutting of a vital institution?