From a podium on Capitol Hill, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene — a far-right Republican from Georgia — ticked off the “wasteful things” she felt American taxpayers had spent their money on.
There was a USAID program in Tanzania, which led to 10,000 patients being tested for HIV; a program under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, that linked some 2.5 million adolescent girls to HIV testing, educational support, and contraception; and the fact that in a single year, USAID provided assistance to over 130 nations, including Ukraine, Yemen, and South Sudan.
As Greene spoke, the anger in her voice rose, too — as did her desire to strip the U.S. International Agency for International Development of all its money in 2025.
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About the authors
Elissa Miolene
Elissa Miolene reports on USAID and the U.S. government at Devex. She previously covered education at The San Jose Mercury News, and has written for outlets like The Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Washingtonian magazine, among others. Before shifting to journalism, Elissa led communications for humanitarian agencies in the United States, East Africa, and South Asia.
Colum Lynch
Colum Lynch is an award-winning reporter and Senior Global Reporter for Devex. He covers the intersection of development, diplomacy, and humanitarian relief at the United Nations and beyond. Prior to Devex, Colum reported on foreign policy and national security for Foreign Policy Magazine and the Washington Post. Colum was awarded the 2011 National Magazine Award for digital reporting for his blog Turtle Bay. He has also won an award for groundbreaking reporting on the U.N.’s failure to protect civilians in Darfur.
