Top Trump official behind foreign aid cuts departs state department

Pete Marocco, a Trump administration official who was instrumental in overhauling the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has left the State Department, a U.S. official said on April 13.

Marocco, who recently served as Director of Foreign Assistance at the State Department, was a key figure in efforts to cut back American foreign aid spending, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

His departure comes as President Donald Trump’s administration—bolstered by billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency—continues its campaign against what it describes as “wasteful spending” across the federal government. The initiative has included widespread dismissals of USAID personnel and cuts to contractor funding.

"Pete was brought to State with a big mission — to conduct an exhaustive review of every dollar spent on foreign assistance. He conducted that historic task and exposed egregious abuses of taxpayer dollars," a senior administration official said, speaking anonymously.
"We all expect big things are in store for Pete on his next mission," the official added.

Sources familiar with the matter told US media that Marocco may have been forced out, though no official reason has been provided. His exit comes only weeks after he had returned to the department, vowing in an internal email: "I am going to return to my post as the Director of Foreign Assistance to bring value back to the American people."

As recently as on April 10, Marocco held a "listening session" with roughly two dozen foreign assistance experts at the State Department, aiming to gather views on the future of U.S. aid policy.

The Trump administration has aggressively targeted USAID, with Trump claiming—without providing evidence—that the agency was marred by fraud and controlled by "radical left lunatics." Musk also wrongly labelled the organisation "criminal."

Democratic Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii harshly criticised Marocco’s tenure, stating:
"Marocco's tenure brought chaos to USAID, reckless and unlawful policy to the State Department, and dismantled long-standing U.S. foreign policy.
His actions deprived millions of people around the world of life-saving aid and jeopardised U.S. credibility with our partners. But with his exit, serious questions remain about the influence he leaves behind," Schatz said.

In a surprise move last April 8, the administration reversed course on at least six recently terminated emergency food assistance programmes. The sudden reinstatement highlights the erratic nature of Trump’s foreign aid cuts, which have resulted in abrupt halts, reversals, and renewed cancellations—disrupting humanitarian operations across the globe.

By Aghakazim Guliyev