‘Equity and Environmental Justice,’ ‘LGBTQI+ Inclusive Development Policy,’ and ‘Latinx Politics’: Inside the Battle Between Political and Career Staffers at the State Department and USAID
30th January 2025
When the Trump administration unveiled a 90-day freeze of foreign aid aimed at ensuring the funding is “consistent with U.S. foreign policy under the America First agenda,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio allowed career staffers to submit waivers for projects they felt were aligned with that agenda. Those staffers went on to submit some 200 waivers for programs that would have cost taxpayers $1.2 billion this week alone, including some that pertained to “environmental justice” and “LGBTQI+ Inclusive Development.”
The Rubio-led State Department rejected all of them, sources familiar with the process told the Washington Free Beacon.
The situation reflects the severe disconnect between career and political staffers at the State Department and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which the State Department oversees. It also previews the implications of the ongoing legal fight surrounding the Trump administration’s plans to freeze scores of federal grants.