Secretary of State Marco Rubio's decision to cut 83% of USAID programs has led to allegations of a cover-up, as staff receives orders to destroy classified records before transferring operations to the State Department. Legal experts raise concerns over potential violations of the Federal Records Act amid claims of financial inefficiency within the agency.
USAID's Major Cuts Result in Controversial Document Destruction
USAID's Major Cuts Result in Controversial Document Destruction
The recent cancellation of 83% of USAID programs by Secretary of State Marco Rubio is raising eyebrows, particularly due to a memo instructing staff to destroy classified documents.
After Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the cancellation of 83% of USAID programs, a troubling memo has come to light, instructing remaining personnel to destroy classified documents. This has ignited serious questions regarding potential cover-ups within the agency.
Rubio's decision resulted in the elimination of 5,200 USAID contracts following an extensive six-week review that supposedly revealed widespread waste of taxpayer dollars, potentially undermining U.S. national interests. The remaining 1,000 programs are now set to be managed under the State Department, representing a significant restructuring of the agency.
However, rather than demonstrating transparency, an email acquired by Politico reveals that USAID staffers have been ordered to shred confidential records and personnel files from their former base in the Ronald Reagan Building. The communication stressed the urgency: “Shred as many documents first, and reserve the burn bags for when the shredder becomes unavailable or needs a break."
Legal analysts have pointed out that the destruction of classified federal records contravenes the Federal Records Act, but as of now, USAID has not provided any rationale for this sudden and extensive document disposal. Compounding the situation is the imminent move of Customs and Border Protection into the building, suggesting that USAID might be hastily covering up sensitive information before transferring properties.
While Rubio's initiative to cut wasteful spending may resonate positively with taxpayers, the rapid destruction of documents raises the unsettling question: What information was deemed so critical that it needed to vanish at such speed?
