Latest news with #JeremyLewin
Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Elizabeth Shackelford: Burning down America's best tool for peace and prosperity
On July 11, the U.S. State Department imposed sweeping layoffs as part of a large-scale reorganization. Why should this matter to you? Violence is surging across the globe — 2024 saw the highest number of state-based armed conflicts in over 70 years. In our globalized world, instability affects us whether we like it or not. This means now is a very bad time to undermine our diplomatic capabilities, which is exactly what this will do. Diplomacy is our least expensive and least risky foreign policy tool, and the State Department leads it. Much like preventative health care, the more effectively we invest in it early on, the fewer costly and dangerous crises we face later. If we don't, we'll have to rely on riskier and costlier tools to defend our national security interests, such as economic coercion or military intervention. Because it's less visible, diplomacy is often underrated and overlooked. It's hard to take credit for the crises we avoid. But American diplomacy — backed up by our military might — is what kept us out of a hot war with the Soviet Union, has prevented war between China and Taiwan, and ended conflict between Egypt and Israel, to name a few. I've seen diplomacy mitigate conflict in places such as Kenya, Burundi and Somalia. As a former U.S. diplomat, I know that these sloppy cuts at State will cost us a lot. As the world moves undoubtedly into a more conflict-ridden future, we are undermining our own ability to navigate that world safely. Our military leaders have long understood this. As Gen. James Mattis said during testimony to the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services in 2013, 'If you don't fund the State Department fully, then I need to buy more ammunition.' Effective diplomacy requires skilled diplomats and regional and subject matter experts. It relies on investment in the long game, building strong relationships and addressing underlying causes of conflict and instability. This administration is tossing that all aside with little concern for the consequences. No career civil servant would deny that the State Department could use serious, thoughtful reform. But this is not that. Like the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cuts that came before, the State Department 'reorganization' has been conducted with little appreciation or understanding of what it does, how it works and why it matters. This is no surprise given who was put in charge of it. Jeremy Lewin, a 28-year-old former DOGE staffer with no prior experience with the State Department or diplomacy, has taken the lead. He was promoted this month to undersecretary, the department's third-highest ranking. He's been assisted by Lew Olowski, an entry-level Foreign Service officer who was recently tapped to lead the human resources department, a position typically held by a long-serving member of the Senior Foreign Service. Their qualifying criteria apparently consist of being loyal to the administration of President Donald Trump and willing to break things. The result is costly and dangerous. Delaware Sen. Chris Coons highlighted some of the most egregious outcomes during a recent Senate hearing. While grilling the deputy secretary of state for management, Coons pointed out, 'You literally just fired department experts on nuclear proliferation, including experts with decades of expertise on Iran's nuclear weapons program, (on) ending Russia's invasion of Ukraine.' Other casualties included key parts of the counterterrorism bureau; the entire office for countering violent extremism; half of State's cybersecurity bureau (which had a leading role in countering China's cyberattacks); most of the office focused on science, technology cooperation and critical technologies, including artificial intelligence; much of the office addressing fraud prevention for visas and passports; and the offices focused on drug trafficking and energy diplomacy, both areas that the administration had specifically indicated were top priorities. Widespread cuts to the Bureau of Consular Affairs (CA) were met with shock, since it serves Americans directly and is self-funded through service fees. CA issues passports and visas and is responsible for the welfare of Americans abroad. The Office of Casualty Assistance, for example, assists victims of crime and terrorist attacks and helps repatriate bodies of Americans who die overseas. It was eliminated. I've made those heartbreaking calls to families to tell them a loved one has died. I've helped them navigate hospitals, criminal investigations, repatriation and grief — with critical support from Washington. You'll feel these cuts if you find yourself in trouble in a foreign country. I also know many people who were let go: experts with extensive language skills, knowledge and relationships cultivated over decades. These are taxpayer-funded investments that cannot be rebuilt overnight. Not that this administration intends to try. It ultimately plans to slash the State Department budget by almost half, to $28 billion. For comparison, Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' increased military spending to over $1 trillion, which is $156 billion more than the Department of Defense asked for. This means the U.S. military got a tip nearly six times the entire planned State Department budget. If you don't mind a future with more war, we can just keep buying more ammunition. But if you want a safer world, tell your government to invest in the tools of peace.
The Herald
17-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald
US aid workers 'lobbied for weeks' to save food stocks from destruction after Trump cuts
His administration announced plans to shut down USAid in January, leaving more than 60,000 tonnes of food aid stuck in stores around the world, Reuters reported in May. The food aid stuck in Dubai was fortified wheat biscuits, which are calorie-rich and typically deployed in crisis conditions where people lack cooking facilities, 'providing immediate nutrition for a child or adult', according to the UN World Food Programme (WFP). The WFP says 319-million people face acute levels of food insecurity worldwide. Of those, 1.9-million people are gripped by catastrophic hunger and on the brink of famine, primarily in Gaza and Sudan. After Jeremy Lewin and Kenneth Jackson, operatives of the budget-slashing department of government efficiency were appointed acting deputy USAid administrators and began terminating food security programmes, USAid staff were barred from communicating with aid organisations asking to take the biscuits, two sources said. A state department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it was 'entirely false' that USAid staff were barred from communicating with aid groups, and that 'there was no direction given not to engage'. Reuters, however, reported that a January 25 email sent by Jackson emphasising a 'complete halt' to all foreign assistance banned USAid staff from any communications outside the agency unless approved by their front office. 'Failure to abide by this directive will result in disciplinary action,' said the memo reviewed by Reuters. US secretary of state Marco Rubio told legislators on May 21 no food aid would be wasted as USAid staff were waiting for Lewin to sign off on a deal to transfer the 622 tonnes of biscuits to the WFP for distribution before they began expiring in September.
Al Arabiya
10-07-2025
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Former DOGE official rushed grant to Trump-backed Gaza aid group over staff objections
A top US State Department official waived nine mandatory counterterrorism and anti-fraud safeguards to rush a $30 million award last month to a Gaza aid group backed by the Trump administration and Israel, according to an internal memorandum seen by Reuters. Jeremy Lewin, a former Department of Government Efficiency associate, approved the funds despite an assessment stating that the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's (GHF) proposal failed to meet 'minimum technical or budgetary standards.' The June 24 action memorandum was sent to Lewin by Kenneth Jackson, another former DOGE official now serving as acting deputy administrator of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The two have overseen the agency's dismantling and the merger of its functions into the State Department. Lewin also overrode 58 objections from USAID staff who wanted GHF to resolve numerous issues in its application before the funds were approved, two sources told Reuters. The $30 million was cleared just five days after GHF submitted its proposal on June 19. In a June 25 email to USAID leadership, Lewin cited 'strong Admin support for this one' and urged that the money be disbursed 'ASAP.' The documents highlight how the Trump administration prioritized GHF despite its lack of experience and the deaths of more than 500 Palestinians near the group's Gaza distribution sites. GHF, which coordinates closely with the Israeli military, has acknowledged reports of violence but said they occurred outside its operational areas. Lewin noted in his email that he had discussed the award with aides to Trump's Gaza negotiator, Steve Witkoff, and with Secretary of State Marco Rubio's office. He admitted the move would be controversial, writing: 'I'm taking the bullet on this one.' The White House referred Reuters to a State Department statement, which defended the approval under emergency provisions to 'meet humanitarian needs as expeditiously as possible.' It added the award would remain under 'rigorous oversight,' with new reporting and control requirements. – Raising the risk – A GHF spokesperson said the group's model 'is specifically designed to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse,' adding that such government inquiries were routine. Addressing the waived safeguards, the spokesperson said GHF was 'addressing each question as per regulations and normal procedure.' GHF claims its operations prevent ISIS from hijacking food aid and using it to exert control over Gaza's population — an accusation denied by the group. In the action memo, Jackson called GHF 'uniquely positioned to operate in areas with restricted access' and credited it with delivering millions of meals and weakening Hamas's influence. Jackson also acknowledged GHF had not met USAID's formal eligibility criteria and listed the nine waived requirements, which are normally mandatory. These included legal vetting for ties to extremist organizations and assessments of internal controls to prevent misuse of funds. Waiving the vetting 'could increase the risk' that GHF or its subcontractors might be linked to terrorist activity, the document said. GHF's required risk management plan was also incomplete. Jackson wrote that approving the award without it 'could risk programmatic diversion, reputational harm, and potential violations of US counterterrorism laws.' Nonetheless, Jackson recommended the waivers based on the 'humanitarian and political urgency' of GHF's mission. Lewin approved each item. Two former senior USAID officials said they had never seen such a move over professional staff objections. 'I oversaw something like 1,500 grants. I never saw it happen,' said Sarah Charles, who led USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance from 2021 to 2024. 'Very occasionally, we would do the vetting after an award in a sudden-onset emergency — think earthquake — but that was at the recommendation of staff.' USAID staff had questioned whether GHF could ensure safety for Palestinians collecting food packages, whether its team had adequate humanitarian training, and its plan to distribute powdered infant formula in an area with limited access to clean water.
Globe and Mail
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Globe and Mail
Former DOGE official rushed US$30-million grant to Trump-backed Gaza aid group despite objections
A top U.S. State Department official waived nine mandatory counterterrorism and anti-fraud safeguards to rush a $30 million award last month to a Gaza aid group backed by the Trump administration and Israel, according to an internal memorandum seen by Reuters. Jeremy Lewin, a former Department of Government Efficiency associate, signed off on the award despite an assessment in the memorandum that the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's (GHF) funding plan failed to meet required 'minimum technical or budgetary standards.' The June 24 action memorandum to Lewin was sent by Kenneth Jackson, also a former DOGE operative who serves as an acting deputy U.S. Agency for International Development administrator. The pair has overseen the agency's dismantling and the merger of its functions into the State Department. Lewin also overrode 58 objections that USAID staff experts wanted GHF to resolve in its application before the funds were approved, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Lewin, who runs the State Department's foreign aid program, cleared the funds only five days after GHF filed its proposal on June 19, according to the June 24 'action memorandum' bearing his signature seen by Reuters. 'Strong Admin support for this one,' Lewin wrote to USAID leaders in a June 25 e-mail – also seen by Reuters – that urged disbursement of the funds by the agency 'ASAP.' The action memorandum was first reported by CNN. Dozens of Palestinians killed by airstrikes or shootings while waiting for aid Opinion: With Trump's support, Netanyahu is poised to get his way in Gaza Lewin and Jackson did not respond to requests for comment. The documents underline the priority the Trump administration has given GHF despite the group's lack of experience and the killing of hundreds of Palestinians near its Gaza aid distribution hubs. GHF, which closely co-ordinates with the Israeli military, has acknowledged reports of violence but says they occurred beyond its operations area. Lewin noted in the email that he had discussed the funds with aides to Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump's negotiator on Gaza, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio's office. He acknowledged that authorizing the funds would be controversial, writing: 'I'm taking the bullet on this one.' The White House, asked for comment, referred to a State Department statement provided to Reuters. Witkoff and Rubio did not reply to a question about whether they were aware of and supported the decision to waive the safeguards. The State Department said in its statement that the $30 million was approved under a legal provision allowing USAID to expedite awards in response to 'emergency situations' to 'meet humanitarian needs as expeditiously as possible.' 'The GHF award remains subject to rigorous oversight, including of GHF's operations and finances,' the statement said. 'As part of the award, GHF was subject to new control and reporting requirements.' In response to a request for comment, a GHF spokesperson said: 'Our model is specifically designed to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse. Every dollar we receive is safeguarded to ensure all resources – which will eventually include American taxpayer funds – reach the people of Gaza.' The spokesperson added that such requests for clarification from the U.S. government about fund applications were routine. Speaking about the nine conditions that were waived, the spokesperson said: 'We are addressing each question as per regulations and normal procedure and will continue to do so as required.' GHF says its operation is preventing Hamas from hijacking food aid and using it to control the enclave's population, charges denied by the Islamist militants who ran Gaza. In the June 24 action memorandum, Jackson wrote that GHF is 'uniquely positioned to operate in areas with restricted access,' and said it has delivered millions of meals and diluted Hamas' control over Gaza's 2.1 million Palestinians. He acknowledged that GHF 'is a new organization that has not met USAID's various formal criteria for eligibility' for the $30 million award. Jackson listed nine conditions that applicants normally must satisfy before receiving USAID funds, explicitly outlining the terms of each and the risks of waiving them. For instance, he noted a 'legal requirement' that aid organizations working in Gaza or the West Bank undergo vetting for ties to extremist organizations before they are awarded USAID funds, the document said. 'Waiving the requirement could increase the risk' that an aid group, its subcontractors or vendors 'could be found ineligible due to terrorism-related concerns,' said the document. Jackson also wrote that USAID was required to examine whether an organization has sufficient internal controls to manage awards. He warned that waiving the condition 'could raise the risk of misuse of taxpayer resources,' according to the document. GHF submitted a plan – required prior to approval of funds – that was incomplete on how it would deal with legal and operational risks of operating in Gaza, the document said. Waiving the need for a full plan 'could risk programmatic diversion, reputational harm, and potential violations of U.S. counterterrorism laws,' it continued. Despite the risks, Jackson recommended waiving all nine requirements and allowing GHF to fulfill them later because of the 'humanitarian and political urgency' of its operation, the memo said. Lewin checked a box labelled 'Approve' on each of the recommendations, it showed. In addition to waiving the nine requirements, two sources familiar with the matter said, Lewin overrode 58 objections from USAID staff reviewing GHF's application. Two former top USAID officials said they had never heard of a senior official like Lewin expediting an award over the objections of professional staff. 'I oversaw something like 1,500 grants. I never saw it happen,' said Sarah Charles, who led USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance from 2021-2024. 'Very occasionally, we would do the vetting after an award in a sudden onset emergency – think earthquake – but that was at the recommendation of staff.' In the review, the USAID experts questioned how GHF would ensure the safety of Palestinians collecting food packages at its sites; whether its staff had proper humanitarian training and its plans to distribute powdered infant formula in an enclave with scarce access to clean drinking water, the sources said.
Reuters
10-07-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Former DOGE official rushed grant to Trump-backed Gaza aid group over staff objections
WASHINGTON, July 9 (Reuters) - A top U.S. State Department official waived nine mandatory counterterrorism and anti-fraud safeguards to rush a $30 million award last month to a Gaza aid group backed by the Trump administration and Israel, according to an internal memorandum seen by Reuters. Jeremy Lewin, a former Department of Government Efficiency associate, signed off on the award despite an assessment in the memorandum that the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's (GHF) funding plan failed to meet required "minimum technical or budgetary standards." The June 24 action memorandum to Lewin was sent by Kenneth Jackson, also a former DOGE operative who serves as an acting deputy U.S. Agency for International Development administrator. The pair has overseen the agency's dismantling and the merger of its functions into the State Department. Lewin also overrode 58 objections that USAID staff experts wanted GHF to resolve in its application before the funds were approved, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Lewin, who runs the State Department's foreign aid program, cleared the funds only five days after GHF filed its proposal on June 19, according to the June 24 "action memorandum" bearing his signature seen by Reuters. "Strong Admin support for this one," Lewin wrote to USAID leaders in a June 25 email - also seen by Reuters - that urged disbursement of the funds by the agency "ASAP." The action memorandum was first reported by CNN. Lewin and Jackson did not respond to requests for comment. The documents underline the priority the Trump administration has given GHF despite the group's lack of experience and the killing of hundreds of Palestinians near its Gaza aid distribution hubs. GHF, which closely coordinates with the Israeli military, has acknowledged reports of violence but says they occurred beyond its operations area. Lewin noted in the email that he had discussed the funds with aides to Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump's negotiator on Gaza, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio's office. He acknowledged that authorizing the funds would be controversial, writing: "I'm taking the bullet on this one." The White House, asked for comment, referred to a State Department statement provided to Reuters. Witkoff and Rubio did not reply to a question about whether they were aware of and supported the decision to waive the safeguards. The State Department said in its statement that the $30 million was approved under a legal provision allowing USAID to expedite awards in response to "emergency situations" to "meet humanitarian needs as expeditiously as possible." "The GHF award remains subject to rigorous oversight, including of GHF's operations and finances," the statement said. "As part of the award, GHF was subject to new control and reporting requirements." In response to a request for comment, a GHF spokesperson said: "Our model is specifically designed to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse. Every dollar we receive is safeguarded to ensure all resources — which will eventually include American taxpayer funds — reach the people of Gaza." The spokesperson added that such requests for clarification from the U.S. government about fund applications were routine. Speaking about the nine conditions that were waived, the spokesperson said: "We are addressing each question as per regulations and normal procedure and will continue to do so as required." GHF says its operation is preventing Hamas from hijacking food aid and using it to control the enclave's population, charges denied by the Islamist militants who ran Gaza. In the June 24 action memorandum, Jackson wrote that GHF is 'uniquely positioned to operate in areas with restricted access,' and said it has delivered millions of meals and diluted Hamas' control over Gaza's 2.1 million Palestinians. He acknowledged that GHF 'is a new organization that has not met USAID's various formal criteria for eligibility' for the $30 million award. Jackson listed nine conditions that applicants normally must satisfy before receiving USAID funds, explicitly outlining the terms of each and the risks of waiving them. For instance, he noted a 'legal requirement' that aid organizations working in Gaza or the West Bank undergo vetting for ties to extremist organizations before they are awarded USAID funds, the document said. 'Waiving the requirement could increase the risk' that an aid group, its subcontractors or vendors 'could be found ineligible due to terrorism-related concerns,' said the document. Jackson also wrote that USAID was required to examine whether an organization has sufficient internal controls to manage awards. He warned that waiving the condition 'could raise the risk of misuse of taxpayer resources,' according to the document. GHF submitted a plan – required prior to approval of funds – that was incomplete on how it would deal with legal and operational risks of operating in Gaza, the document said. Waiving the need for a full plan 'could risk programmatic diversion, reputational harm, and potential violations of U.S. counterterrorism laws," it continued. Despite the risks, Jackson recommended waiving all nine requirements and allowing GHF to fulfill them later because of the "humanitarian and political urgency" of its operation, the memo said. Lewin checked a box labeled 'Approve' on each of the recommendations, it showed. In addition to waiving the nine requirements, two sources familiar with the matter said, Lewin overrode 58 objections from USAID staff reviewing GHF's application. Two former top USAID officials said they had never heard of a senior official like Lewin expediting an award over the objections of professional staff. "I oversaw something like 1,500 grants. I never saw it happen," said Sarah Charles, who led USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance from 2021-2024. "Very occasionally, we would do the vetting after an award in a sudden onset emergency - think earthquake - but that was at the recommendation of staff." In the review, the USAID experts questioned how GHF would ensure the safety of Palestinians collecting food packages at its sites; whether its staff had proper humanitarian training and its plans to distribute powdered infant formula in an enclave with scarce access to clean drinking water, the sources said.
